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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $883 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,334 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,785 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

Medellin costs about 90% more than Sungai Petani, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sungai Petani is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.61 MYR 14.72

122.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$19.99 MYR 81.6

139.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.56 MYR 18.62

116.89%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.75 MYR 7.13

78.86%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.77 MYR 3.14

148.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.38 MYR 1.57

297.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.26 MYR 17.38

-26.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.00 MYR 12.26

91.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.85 MYR 7.56

-22.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.09 MYR 4.44

128.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.75 MYR 7.16

1.14%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.20 MYR 8.97

34.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.48 MYR 38.68

6.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.35 MYR 17.78

132.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.60 MYR 35.09

66.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.90 MYR 11.82

42.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.73 MYR 7.08

-6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.49 MYR 10.15

-9.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.43 MYR 5.83

57.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.07 MYR 4.37

90.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.15 MYR 4.71

33.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.10 MYR 4.49

6.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.58 MYR 2.37

125.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.38 MYR 17.90

-10.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$19.52 MYR 79.7

-28.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.03 MYR 12.39

-42.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$4.00 MYR 16.33

-28.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.77 MYR 3.16

58.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$12.47 MYR 50.9

545.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.74 MYR 7.12

-24.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.41 MYR 1.66

434.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$7.19 MYR 29.34

21.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.48 MYR 1.97

185.42%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$42.4K MYR 173.0K

-34.30%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$34.4K MYR 140.6K

3.85%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$36.98 MYR 151

379.45%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$10.10 MYR 41.25

37.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$19.78 MYR 80.7

50.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$40.50 MYR 165

10.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$6.49 MYR 26.51

163.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$2.98 MYR 12.16

123.15%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$425 MYR 1,735

91.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$10.9K MYR 44.4K

-15.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$60.2 MYR 246

48.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$34.80 MYR 142

69.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$74.7 MYR 305

85.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$68.8 MYR 281

48.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$411 MYR 1,679

158.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$309 MYR 1,260

114.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$690 MYR 2,817

173.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$491 MYR 2,005

109.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,045 MYR 8,349

104.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,136 MYR 4,640

47.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$501 MYR 2,047

35.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.24

158.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sungai Petani: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $411 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 35% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Sungai Petani. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $242 – making Sungai Petani 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 Sungai Petani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 90%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,325 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $20.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $883 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 $883, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.