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 $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $958 in Shah Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,436 in Shah Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,913 in Shah Alam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 79% more than Shah Alam, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Shah Alam is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$3.82 MYR 15.42

110.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$19.79 MYR 79.8

143.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$4.15 MYR 16.74

135.42%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.94 MYR 11.87

-1.02%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.77 MYR 3.10

151.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.38 MYR 1.53

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$3.43 MYR 13.84

-9.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$4.59 MYR 18.51

25.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.87 MYR 7.56

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$1.07 MYR 4.32

123.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.44 MYR 5.80

18.06%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.13 MYR 8.59

34.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$13.27 MYR 53.5

-25.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$4.33 MYR 17.48

148.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$9.79 MYR 39.51

50.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.44 MYR 13.88

18.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.70 MYR 6.87

-7.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$2.76 MYR 11.15

-22.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$1.83 MYR 7.38

20.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$1.25 MYR 5.05

64.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$2.07 MYR 8.36

-27.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.47 MYR 5.92

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.57 MYR 2.31

103.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.20 MYR 16.96

-7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$19.08 MYR 77.0

-24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$2.79 MYR 11.24

-43.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$4.47 MYR 18.04

-36.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.77 MYR 3.09

51.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$16.34 MYR 65.9

375.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$1.28 MYR 5.15

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.39 MYR 1.57

435.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$7.56 MYR 30.50

14.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.75 MYR 3.02

73.33%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$42.1K MYR 170.0K

-34.36%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$35.5K MYR 143.3K

-0.02%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$38.25 MYR 154

360.31%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$9.86 MYR 39.79

35.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$29.96 MYR 121

-0.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$39.58 MYR 160

13.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$5.02 MYR 20.25

239.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$6.68 MYR 26.94

-7.19%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$202 MYR 814

293.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$4,569 MYR 18.4K

97.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$58.4 MYR 236

46.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$39.95 MYR 161

46.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$68.5 MYR 276

98.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$70.8 MYR 286

45.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$350 MYR 1,412

202.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$311 MYR 1,255

118.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$567 MYR 2,288

254.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$555 MYR 2,241

110.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,489 MYR 6,007

176.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,181 MYR 4,764

44.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,238 MYR 4,994

-46.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.24

158.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shah Alam: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $350 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 86% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Shah Alam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $264 – making Shah 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 Shah Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 79%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,437 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $20.00 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $958 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 $958, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.