Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ulu Tiram Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ulu Tiram

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $939 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,364 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,789 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

Medellin costs about 79% more than Ulu Tiram, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Ulu Tiram is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$3.74 MYR 15.32

114.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$21.40 MYR 87.6

123.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.90 MYR 20.06

101.84%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.97 MYR 12.17

5.39%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.78 MYR 3.18

144.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.45 MYR 1.84

235.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$4.55 MYR 18.62

-31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$6.29 MYR 25.75

-8.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.70 MYR 6.97

-15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.03 MYR 4.22

141.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.44 MYR 5.88

22.92%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.75 MYR 7.16

69.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$9.70 MYR 39.69

3.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.22 MYR 17.25

139.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$9.63 MYR 39.40

48.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.34 MYR 13.67

23.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.75 MYR 7.15

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.66 MYR 10.88

-15.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.62 MYR 6.62

38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.46 MYR 5.98

39.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.68 MYR 6.89

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.38 MYR 5.65

-15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.55 MYR 2.26

138.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.35 MYR 17.81

-10.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$16.96 MYR 69.4

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.97 MYR 12.15

-41.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$3.11 MYR 12.73

-7.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.69 MYR 2.81

76.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$12.25 MYR 50.2

556.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.25 MYR 5.10

4.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.36 MYR 1.46

508.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$9.32 MYR 38.15

-6.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.78 MYR 3.18

75.64%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$41.2K MYR 168.6K

-32.42%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$35.0K MYR 143.4K

2.13%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$53.0 MYR 217

234.78%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$8.22 MYR 33.65

68.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$28.97 MYR 119

2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$40.66 MYR 166

10.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$5.89 MYR 24.10

190.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$4.89 MYR 20.03

35.99%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$166 MYR 680

389.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$4,502 MYR 18.4K

104.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$66.6 MYR 273

34.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$17.16 MYR 70.2

243.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$77.4 MYR 317

78.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$48.28 MYR 198

111.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$395 MYR 1,617

168.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$299 MYR 1,224

121.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$686 MYR 2,808

175.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$487 MYR 1,995

110.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,014 MYR 8,244

107.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,143 MYR 4,678

46.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$853 MYR 3,491

-20.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.06

169.46%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ulu Tiram: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $395 in Ulu Tiram. 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 26% higher in Ulu Tiram, 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 $21.00 in Ulu Tiram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $240 – making Ulu Tiram 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 Ulu Tiram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 79%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,408 in Ulu Tiram. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulu Tiram, 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 $21.00 in Ulu Tiram. 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 $939 in Ulu Tiram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulu Tiram, where all-in costs run around $939, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Ulu Tiram it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulu Tiram – 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 Ulu Tiram. 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.