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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $918 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,395 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,872 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 12% more than Setia Alam, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Setia Alam are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Setia Alam 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.58 MYR 18.74

34.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$23.80 MYR 97.4

36.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.68 MYR 19.15

56.84%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.98 MYR 12.20

-42.28%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.84 MYR 3.42

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.37 MYR 1.50

108.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$4.33 MYR 17.70

-60.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$6.02 MYR 24.63

-47.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.75 MYR 7.15

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.70 MYR 2.86

85.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.98 MYR 4.02

42.86%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.65 MYR 6.75

30.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.78 MYR 19.56

-8.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.99 MYR 16.33

47.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.52 MYR 38.95

-9.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.33 MYR 5.44

71.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.57 MYR 6.42

-29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.34 MYR 5.46

14.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.22 MYR 5.00

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.33 MYR 5.42

-15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.57 MYR 2.34

49.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 MYR 2.17

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.21 MYR 17.23

-44.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$19.11 MYR 78.2

-35.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$3.21 MYR 13.14

-62.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$4.21 MYR 17.24

-40.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.73 MYR 2.98

15.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$11.72 MYR 47.92

246.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.17 MYR 4.78

21.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.10 MYR 4.51

74.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.62 MYR 18.89

65.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.50 MYR 2.05

98.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$40.6K MYR 166.0K

-55.58%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$32.2K MYR 131.6K

-17.27%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$59.1 MYR 242

36.80%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.73 MYR 43.87

-7.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$25.60 MYR 105

-5.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$54.8 MYR 224

-54.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$2.38 MYR 9.73

704.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.04 MYR 20.62

-21.03%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$196 MYR 800

56.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,524 MYR 39.0K

-36.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$59.7 MYR 244

-2.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.82 MYR 102

29.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$86.1 MYR 352

16.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$53.8 MYR 220

100.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$495 MYR 2,026

-3.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$305 MYR 1,247

23.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$837 MYR 3,422

0.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$534 MYR 2,185

36.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,029 MYR 8,300

58.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,175 MYR 4,806

16.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,149 MYR 4,698

-46.30%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $495 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 86% 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 $24.00 in Setia Alam. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $204 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 12%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,377 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 $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 $1,031 in Medellin and $918 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 $918, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.