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 $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $950 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,439 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,927 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 73% more than Subang Jaya, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Subang Jaya is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.73 MYR 15.15

115.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$19.69 MYR 80.1

145.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$4.73 MYR 19.26

99.15%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.91 MYR 11.83

1.03%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.74 MYR 2.99

151.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.37 MYR 1.49

294.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$4.13 MYR 16.80

-22.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.58 MYR 18.61

24.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.85 MYR 7.54

-22.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.10 MYR 4.47

118.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.73 MYR 7.06

-1.73%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.15 MYR 8.76

34.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$13.43 MYR 54.6

-25.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.88 MYR 19.86

104.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$8.99 MYR 36.58

57.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.86 MYR 11.65

39.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.94 MYR 7.91

-18.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.41 MYR 9.81

-10.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.42 MYR 5.77

61.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.08 MYR 4.38

85.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.13 MYR 4.58

33.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.09 MYR 4.44

10.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.57 MYR 2.32

124.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$4.49 MYR 18.25

-14.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$19.22 MYR 78.2

-27.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.91 MYR 11.82

-41.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$4.04 MYR 16.45

-32.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.89 MYR 3.61

40.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$12.40 MYR 50.5

528.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.20 MYR 4.90

9.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.39 MYR 1.58

456.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$5.06 MYR 20.59

63.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.84 MYR 3.41

61.90%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$41.5K MYR 168.7K

-33.76%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$35.8K MYR 145.4K

2.20%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$38.14 MYR 155

342.37%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$9.90 MYR 40.28

37.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$29.37 MYR 119

-3.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$24.78 MYR 101

84.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$2.51 MYR 10.23

586.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.57 MYR 22.67

19.39%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$298 MYR 1,211

169.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$10.9K MYR 44.3K

-15.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$59.9 MYR 244

45.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$35.23 MYR 143

68.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$85.3 MYR 347

62.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$71.3 MYR 290

43.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$575 MYR 2,338

86.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$351 MYR 1,430

85.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$703 MYR 2,858

173.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$614 MYR 2,498

70.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,410 MYR 9,806

71.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,843 MYR 7,497

-7.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$909 MYR 3,697

-27.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.2

160.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Subang Jaya: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $575 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 39% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Subang Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $257 – making Subang Jaya 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 Subang Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 73%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,426 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $20.00 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $950 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 $950, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.