Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Subang Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Subang Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $957 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,362 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,767 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 8% more than Subang Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Subang Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Subang Jaya 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.60 MYR 14.73

71.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$19.22 MYR 78.6

69.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.76 MYR 19.46

54.20%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.00 MYR 12.29

-42.67%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.79 MYR 3.24

32.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.46 MYR 1.88

67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$4.75 MYR 19.45

-64.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$6.63 MYR 27.13

-52.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.86 MYR 7.59

-43.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.96 MYR 3.91

35.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.44 MYR 5.88

-2.78%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.07 MYR 8.46

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.78 MYR 60.5

-70.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.73 MYR 19.36

24.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.84 MYR 40.23

-12.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.89 MYR 11.81

-21.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.34 MYR 5.50

-17.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.62 MYR 10.73

-41.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.51 MYR 6.18

-10.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.23 MYR 5.05

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.41 MYR 5.76

-19.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.22 MYR 5.00

-30.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.52 MYR 2.14

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.12 MYR 16.85

-43.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$18.99 MYR 77.7

-34.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.73 MYR 11.17

-56.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.94 MYR 12.02

-15.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.25 MYR 1.03

236.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$17.70 MYR 72.4

129.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.16 MYR 4.76

22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.49 MYR 2.02

291.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.60 MYR 18.83

66.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.46 MYR 1.87

115.22%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.2K MYR 144.0K

-48.79%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.1K MYR 135.5K

-19.60%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$45.46 MYR 186

77.76%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.55 MYR 47.23

-13.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$30.28 MYR 124

-20.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$23.82 MYR 97.4

5.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$2.30 MYR 9.39

732.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.80 MYR 19.64

-17.08%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$186 MYR 761

63.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,903 MYR 28.2K

-12.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$60.9 MYR 249

-4.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$18.95 MYR 77.5

69.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$83.7 MYR 342

20.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$39.53 MYR 162

172.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$495 MYR 2,022

-3.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$333 MYR 1,361

13.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$630 MYR 2,576

34.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$478 MYR 1,957

52.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,362 MYR 9,662

36.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,833 MYR 7,499

-25.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$914 MYR 3,738

-32.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.47

200.45%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Subang Jaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $495 in Subang Jaya. 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 48% higher in Subang Jaya, 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 Subang Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $255 in Subang Jaya – 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 Subang Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,435 in Subang Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Subang Jaya, 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 Subang Jaya. 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 $957 in Subang Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Subang Jaya, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Subang Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Subang Jaya – 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 Subang Jaya. 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.