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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $973 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,443 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,913 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 73% more than Setia Alam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Setia Alam is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$5.06 MYR 20.64

58.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$24.14 MYR 98.5

98.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.01 MYR 20.46

97.41%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.08 MYR 12.59

1.62%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.81 MYR 3.32

135.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.44 MYR 1.79

243.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.46 MYR 18.21

-30.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$6.07 MYR 24.77

-5.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.87 MYR 7.61

-22.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.70 MYR 2.87

255.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.06 MYR 4.32

66.98%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.81 MYR 7.39

63.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$4.94 MYR 20.16

103.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.23 MYR 17.28

139.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$9.66 MYR 39.42

48.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.34 MYR 5.46

208.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.94 MYR 7.90

-17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.37 MYR 5.60

64.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.50 MYR 6.11

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.30 MYR 5.32

56.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.32 MYR 5.40

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.64 MYR 2.59

82.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.56 MYR 2.29

133.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.45 MYR 18.18

-12.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$18.82 MYR 76.8

-25.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.45 MYR 14.08

-49.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$4.94 MYR 20.17

-41.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.77 MYR 3.15

58.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$12.46 MYR 50.9

545.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.25 MYR 5.11

4.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.50 MYR 2.03

338.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$5.04 MYR 20.57

72.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.64 MYR 2.63

114.06%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$42.5K MYR 173.4K

-34.48%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$35.3K MYR 144.2K

1.30%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$61.6 MYR 251

188.06%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$9.48 MYR 38.70

46.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$26.31 MYR 107

12.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$58.3 MYR 238

-23.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$6.42 MYR 26.19

166.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.34 MYR 21.80

24.53%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$177 MYR 722

359.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$11.0K MYR 44.9K

-16.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$70.7 MYR 289

26.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$25.51 MYR 104

131.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$89.2 MYR 364

54.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$54.4 MYR 222

87.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$515 MYR 2,104

106.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$322 MYR 1,314

106.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$860 MYR 3,513

119.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$545 MYR 2,223

88.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,025 MYR 8,266

106.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,122 MYR 4,581

49.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,132 MYR 4,621

-40.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.12

165.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $515 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 67% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Setia Alam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $214 – making Setia Alam 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 Setia Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,460 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $24.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $973 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 $973, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.