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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $948 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,368 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,787 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 7% more than Subang Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Subang Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Subang Jaya 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.60 MYR 14.36

66.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$18.64 MYR 74.4

76.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.63 MYR 18.49

53.13%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.96 MYR 11.83

-42.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.80 MYR 3.20

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.45 MYR 1.81

73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$4.64 MYR 18.50

-63.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$6.61 MYR 26.39

-53.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.79 MYR 7.13

-39.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.94 MYR 3.75

34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.44 MYR 5.73

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.09 MYR 8.35

4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$14.83 MYR 59.2

-70.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.66 MYR 18.61

20.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.04 MYR 40.08

-11.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.99 MYR 11.95

-21.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.30 MYR 5.19

-18.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.63 MYR 10.50

-42.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.53 MYR 6.09

-9.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.23 MYR 4.90

-6.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.39 MYR 5.53

-16.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.17 MYR 4.67

-23.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.53 MYR 2.11

58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.23 MYR 16.86

-46.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$19.44 MYR 77.6

-45.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.79 MYR 11.12

-56.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.96 MYR 11.82

-16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.25 MYR 1.00

244.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$17.52 MYR 69.9

136.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.20 MYR 4.79

22.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.51 MYR 2.02

284.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.69 MYR 18.71

65.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.47 MYR 1.87

102.13%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$35.3K MYR 140.9K

-48.64%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$33.4K MYR 133.4K

-20.76%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$45.16 MYR 180

82.13%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$11.51 MYR 45.93

-17.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$30.09 MYR 120

-19.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$23.41 MYR 93.4

10.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$2.41 MYR 9.60

688.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.81 MYR 19.21

-18.30%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$187 MYR 745

65.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,041 MYR 28.1K

-15.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$59.8 MYR 239

-1.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$18.66 MYR 74.5

73.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$83.0 MYR 331

23.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$39.69 MYR 158

173.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$505 MYR 2,014

-5.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$326 MYR 1,300

16.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$624 MYR 2,488

34.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$476 MYR 1,901

51.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,938 MYR 7,731

44.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$961 MYR 3,836

26.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$936 MYR 3,735

-45.33%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Subang Jaya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $505 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 83% 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 – $188 in Medellin vs $256 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 7%, 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 $1,423 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $948 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 $948, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.