Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Seri Iskandar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Seri Iskandar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $690 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $894 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,097 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 49% more than Seri Iskandar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Seri Iskandar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Seri Iskandar 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$2.74 MYR 10.82

116.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$28.57 MYR 113

16.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$4.40 MYR 17.37

64.77%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$0.99 MYR 3.89

72.73%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.54 MYR 2.13

101.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.25 MYR 0.99

208.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.86 MYR 11.31

-38.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.62 MYR 14.31

-12.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.57 MYR 6.18

-32.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$0.90 MYR 3.56

44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$0.46 MYR 1.82

200.00%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$1.92 MYR 7.59

15.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$5.35 MYR 21.13

-15.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$1.90 MYR 7.52

205.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$4.31 MYR 17.03

108.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.07 MYR 8.19

10.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.57 MYR 6.19

-32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.91 MYR 7.54

-20.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$0.91 MYR 3.59

49.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$0.61 MYR 2.40

90.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$0.91 MYR 3.59

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.91 MYR 3.60

-8.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.58 MYR 2.29

46.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$4.18 MYR 16.51

-43.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$7.64 MYR 30.19

45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$2.41 MYR 9.52

-52.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$3.55 MYR 14.03

-30.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$1.08 MYR 4.28

-26.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$11.81 MYR 46.65

254.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.90 MYR 3.56

60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.10 MYR 4.36

72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$4.78 MYR 18.88

61.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$0.51 MYR 2.00

101.96%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$19.2K MYR 75.9K

-7.97%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$18.5K MYR 73.2K

45.73%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$64.3 MYR 254

26.59%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$9.41 MYR 37.17

0.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$15.94 MYR 63.0

49.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$12.99 MYR 51.3

99.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$5.85 MYR 23.12

230.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$3.58 MYR 14.16

13.13%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$312 COP 1.1M

$163 MYR 645

91.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$9,610 MYR 38.0K

-36.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$16.53 MYR 65.3

256.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$8.27 MYR 32.67

296.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$59.6 MYR 235

68.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$35.13 MYR 139

202.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$383 MYR 1,512

27.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$264 MYR 1,044

40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$653 MYR 2,579

28.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$151 MYR 598

372.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,870 MYR 7,387

57.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$822 MYR 3,247

69.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$375 MYR 1,482

41.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

571.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Seri Iskandar: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $383 in Seri Iskandar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 42% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $29 in Seri Iskandar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $153 – making Seri Iskandar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Seri Iskandar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,035 in Seri Iskandar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seri Iskandar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $29.00 in Seri Iskandar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,030 in Medellin and $690 in Seri Iskandar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seri Iskandar, where all-in costs run around $690, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Seri Iskandar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seri Iskandar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Seri Iskandar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.