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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $824 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,254 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,684 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Sungai Petani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sungai Petani are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sungai Petani 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.07 MYR 12.57

100.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$20.95 MYR 85.7

55.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.16 MYR 17.01

76.44%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.66 MYR 6.80

3.61%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.49 MYR 2.02

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.25 MYR 1.02

208.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$4.49 MYR 18.36

-62.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.84 MYR 11.62

11.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.82 MYR 7.44

-42.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.68 MYR 2.80

91.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.25 MYR 5.12

12.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.13 MYR 8.70

1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.89 MYR 60.9

-70.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.60 MYR 14.73

63.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.79 MYR 40.05

-11.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.91 MYR 11.91

-21.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.52 MYR 6.21

-26.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.72 MYR 11.14

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.10 MYR 8.59

-35.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.18 MYR 4.84

-4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.16 MYR 4.76

-2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.90 MYR 3.69

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.46 MYR 1.87

97.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.99 MYR 16.33

-41.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$18.87 MYR 77.2

-34.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.70 MYR 11.04

-55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.47 MYR 14.20

-28.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.70 MYR 2.85

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$11.96 MYR 48.94

239.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.74 MYR 3.04

91.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.50 MYR 2.04

284.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.02 MYR 28.71

9.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.50 MYR 2.05

98.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.9K MYR 134.7K

-45.25%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$27.2K MYR 111.4K

-2.21%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$39.01 MYR 160

107.15%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.93 MYR 40.63

0.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$31.39 MYR 128

-22.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$36.48 MYR 149

-31.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$5.92 MYR 24.22

223.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.79 MYR 11.41

42.65%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$240 MYR 983

26.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,266 MYR 25.6K

-3.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$54.0 MYR 221

7.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$28.31 MYR 116

13.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$62.3 MYR 255

61.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$53.8 MYR 220

100.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$384 MYR 1,571

24.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$270 MYR 1,106

39.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$634 MYR 2,593

33.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$479 MYR 1,960

52.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,051 MYR 8,389

56.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,180 MYR 4,826

16.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$494 MYR 2,020

24.88%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sungai Petani: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $384 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 25% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $249 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 25%, 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 $1,236 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $824 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 $824, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.