Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Setia Alam Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Setia Alam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $927 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,385 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,842 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 9% more than Setia Alam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Setia Alam are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Setia Alam 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.59 MYR 18.31

30.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$23.15 MYR 92.4

41.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.84 MYR 19.32

46.49%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.13 MYR 12.50

-45.37%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.89 MYR 3.56

23.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.37 MYR 1.47

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$4.26 MYR 16.99

-60.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$5.74 MYR 22.91

-46.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.80 MYR 7.16

-39.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.68 MYR 2.72

85.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.98 MYR 3.91

40.82%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.73 MYR 6.91

26.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.62 MYR 18.44

-4.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.92 MYR 15.63

43.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.45 MYR 37.69

-5.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.32 MYR 5.29

77.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.59 MYR 6.34

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.29 MYR 5.14

16.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.43 MYR 5.71

-3.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.23 MYR 4.93

-6.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.27 MYR 5.07

-8.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.61 MYR 2.42

45.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.56 MYR 2.24

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.06 MYR 16.20

-43.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$19.94 MYR 79.6

-46.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$3.23 MYR 12.90

-62.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$4.27 MYR 17.05

-42.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.73 MYR 2.89

17.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$11.93 MYR 47.61

247.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.16 MYR 4.64

26.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.14 MYR 4.54

71.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.62 MYR 18.42

67.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.48 MYR 1.90

97.92%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$39.3K MYR 156.9K

-53.88%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$32.2K MYR 128.6K

-17.80%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$58.1 MYR 232

41.69%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.59 MYR 42.26

-10.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$25.89 MYR 103

-6.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$55.8 MYR 223

-53.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$2.35 MYR 9.37

708.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.11 MYR 20.39

-23.09%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$193 MYR 769

60.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$9,575 MYR 38.2K

-37.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$61.3 MYR 245

-4.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$24.70 MYR 98.6

30.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$84.5 MYR 337

21.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$52.0 MYR 208

108.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$496 MYR 1,979

-4.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$309 MYR 1,233

22.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$815 MYR 3,252

2.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$524 MYR 2,091

38.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,965 MYR 7,840

42.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$991 MYR 3,955

22.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,180 MYR 4,708

-56.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.12

225.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $496 in Setia Alam. 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 131% higher in Setia Alam, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Setia Alam. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $206 in Setia Alam – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Setia Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,390 in Setia Alam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Setia Alam, 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 $23.00 in Setia Alam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $927 in Setia Alam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Setia Alam, where all-in costs run around $927, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Setia Alam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setia Alam – 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 Setia Alam. 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.