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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $857 in Shah Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,310 in Shah Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,763 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 24% lower, Shah Alam 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.02 MYR 12.05

98.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$18.93 MYR 75.5

73.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.13 MYR 16.47

71.67%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.73 MYR 10.88

-37.36%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.72 MYR 2.89

52.78%

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

$3.44 MYR 13.72

-51.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$4.43 MYR 17.68

-30.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.88 MYR 7.50

-42.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.94 MYR 3.76

34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.50 MYR 5.99

-8.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.06 MYR 8.21

6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$14.26 MYR 56.9

-69.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.94 MYR 19.72

13.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.09 MYR 32.26

9.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.83 MYR 11.27

-17.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.46 MYR 5.81

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.58 MYR 10.28

-41.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.21 MYR 4.85

14.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.18 MYR 4.70

-2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.40 MYR 5.59

-17.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.89 MYR 3.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.57 MYR 2.26

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.17 MYR 16.62

-45.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$19.18 MYR 76.5

-44.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.65 MYR 10.57

-54.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.81 MYR 15.21

-35.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.69 MYR 2.76

24.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$15.28 MYR 61.0

170.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.96 MYR 3.81

53.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.54 MYR 2.17

262.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.13 MYR 28.45

8.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.46 MYR 1.85

106.52%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$33.5K MYR 133.7K

-45.87%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$27.7K MYR 110.5K

-4.40%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$41.35 MYR 165

98.91%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.16 MYR 40.52

-6.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$30.62 MYR 122

-20.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$38.96 MYR 155

-33.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$5.98 MYR 23.87

217.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.36 MYR 25.39

-38.21%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$213 MYR 849

45.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,253 MYR 25.0K

-4.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$49.63 MYR 198

18.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$34.84 MYR 139

-7.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$61.3 MYR 245

67.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$48.83 MYR 195

122.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$372 MYR 1,485

27.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$266 MYR 1,061

42.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$576 MYR 2,299

45.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$481 MYR 1,919

50.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,553 MYR 6,195

79.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,223 MYR 4,880

-0.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,263 MYR 5,040

-59.48%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Shah Alam: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 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 147% 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 – $188 in Medellin vs $249 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,286 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $857 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 $857, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.