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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $873 in Shah Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,333 in Shah Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,793 in Shah Alam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 18% more than Shah Alam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Shah Alam are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Shah Alam 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.97 MYR 12.16

107.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.70 MYR 76.5

74.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.13 MYR 16.90

77.72%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.73 MYR 11.15

-37.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.72 MYR 2.93

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.36 MYR 1.49

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$3.59 MYR 14.70

-52.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.31 MYR 17.62

-26.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.80 MYR 7.38

-41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.99 MYR 4.06

31.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.49 MYR 6.10

-6.04%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.03 MYR 8.29

6.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.35 MYR 58.7

-69.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.07 MYR 20.73

15.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.92 MYR 32.41

9.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.80 MYR 11.45

-18.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.50 MYR 6.13

-26.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.55 MYR 10.43

-40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.24 MYR 5.09

8.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.13 MYR 4.61

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.34 MYR 5.49

-15.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.91 MYR 3.73

-6.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.52 MYR 2.13

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.13 MYR 16.88

-43.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$18.60 MYR 76.1

-33.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.65 MYR 10.86

-54.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$4.00 MYR 16.36

-37.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.74 MYR 3.03

13.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$15.20 MYR 62.2

166.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.95 MYR 3.90

49.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.54 MYR 2.20

255.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.21 MYR 29.47

6.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.49 MYR 2.01

102.04%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$33.6K MYR 137.6K

-46.39%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$27.4K MYR 112.2K

-2.90%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$41.19 MYR 168

96.19%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.07 MYR 41.20

-1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$30.14 MYR 123

-19.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$38.85 MYR 159

-35.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$5.82 MYR 23.81

229.04%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.37 MYR 26.04

-37.52%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$210 MYR 861

44.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,234 MYR 25.5K

-2.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$50.0 MYR 205

16.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.92 MYR 143

-7.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$61.0 MYR 249

65.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$49.48 MYR 202

117.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$372 MYR 1,521

28.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$266 MYR 1,087

41.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$586 MYR 2,398

44.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$482 MYR 1,970

51.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,505 MYR 6,155

113.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,208 MYR 4,942

13.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,252 MYR 5,120

-50.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.16

222.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shah Alam: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $372 in Shah 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 103% higher in Shah 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 $19.00 in Shah Alam. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $248 in Shah 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 Shah Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,310 in Shah Alam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shah 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 $19.00 in Shah 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 $873 in Shah Alam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shah Alam, where all-in costs run around $873, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Shah Alam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shah 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 Shah 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.