Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sungai Petani Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sungai Petani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $846 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,285 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,723 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

Medellin costs about 20% more than Sungai Petani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sungai Petani are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sungai Petani 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.13 MYR 12.47

91.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$20.87 MYR 83.3

57.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.36 MYR 17.39

62.61%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.70 MYR 6.78

0.59%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.49 MYR 1.96

124.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.25 MYR 1.00

212.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$4.24 MYR 16.90

-60.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.87 MYR 11.47

6.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.83 MYR 7.32

-40.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.68 MYR 2.71

85.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.25 MYR 5.00

10.40%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.04 MYR 8.13

7.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$15.08 MYR 60.2

-70.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.52 MYR 14.06

59.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.87 MYR 39.39

-9.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.92 MYR 11.64

-19.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.44 MYR 5.73

-26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.70 MYR 10.78

-44.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.08 MYR 8.30

-33.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.18 MYR 4.69

-2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.21 MYR 4.82

-4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.95 MYR 3.79

-6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.46 MYR 1.82

82.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.08 MYR 16.27

-44.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$19.86 MYR 79.2

-46.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.73 MYR 10.88

-56.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.49 MYR 13.92

-29.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.74 MYR 2.93

16.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$11.62 MYR 46.36

256.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.70 MYR 2.78

110.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.50 MYR 1.98

292.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.27 MYR 29.00

6.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.50 MYR 2.00

90.00%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$33.2K MYR 132.5K

-45.40%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$27.3K MYR 109.0K

-3.06%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$38.81 MYR 155

111.93%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.26 MYR 40.95

-7.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$31.36 MYR 125

-22.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$37.11 MYR 148

-30.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$5.95 MYR 23.73

219.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.84 MYR 11.34

38.38%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$241 MYR 962

28.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,305 MYR 25.2K

-5.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$54.1 MYR 216

8.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$29.28 MYR 117

10.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$61.0 MYR 243

68.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$52.3 MYR 209

107.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$379 MYR 1,514

25.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$273 MYR 1,091

38.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$644 MYR 2,569

30.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$466 MYR 1,860

55.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,277 MYR 5,095

118.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$501 MYR 2,000

141.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$511 MYR 2,040

0.10%

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 Sungai Petani: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $379 in Sungai Petani. 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 0% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Sungai Petani. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $251 in Sungai Petani – 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 Sungai Petani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 20%, 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 $1,269 in Sungai Petani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sungai Petani, 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 $21.00 in Sungai Petani. 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 $846 in Sungai Petani. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sungai Petani, where all-in costs run around $846, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Sungai Petani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sungai Petani – 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 Sungai Petani. 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.