Cost of Living Comparison Between Muar and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Muar and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,000 per month in Muar vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,508 per month in Muar vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,016 per month in Muar vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Muar and Medellin have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Muar and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Muar 25% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.65 MYR 10.81

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-55.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.99 MYR 98.0

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-27.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.23 MYR 13.18

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-56.53%

Cappuccino

$2.32 MYR 9.47

$1.65 COP 5,207

40.61%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$1.10 COP 3,468

-32.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.78 COP 2,458

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$1.72 COP 5,412

149.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 MYR 22.01

$3.18 COP 10.0K

69.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.54

$1.10 COP 3,474

68.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.40

$1.26 COP 3,962

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.06

$1.38 COP 4,349

7.25%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.73

$2.18 COP 6,858

-13.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.49 MYR 91.8

$4.49 COP 14.1K

400.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 MYR 20.31

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-14.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.67 MYR 43.55

$8.97 COP 28.2K

18.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 MYR 15.95

$2.32 COP 7,308

68.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.05

$1.06 COP 3,352

63.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 MYR 13.51

$1.52 COP 4,774

117.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 MYR 10.36

$1.36 COP 4,270

86.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.95

$1.13 COP 3,552

50.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$1.17 COP 3,689

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.42

$0.90 COP 2,838

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.12

$0.90 COP 2,823

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.94

$2.23 COP 7,034

86.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.56 MYR 75.8

$12.12 COP 38.2K

53.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.33 MYR 17.70

$1.19 COP 3,743

263.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 MYR 22.16

$2.48 COP 7,815

118.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$0.85 COP 2,687

-12.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 MYR 48.48

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-71.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$1.42 COP 4,459

-18.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.95 COP 6,141

-44.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 MYR 17.91

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-44.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.99 COP 3,118

-49.49%

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

$44.3K MYR 180.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

151.72%

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

$31.4K MYR 128.3K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

17.27%

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

$74.5 MYR 304

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-10.28%

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

$9.92 MYR 40.49

$9.70 COP 30.5K

2.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.49 MYR 116

$23.52 COP 74.1K

21.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 MYR 151

$25.26 COP 79.5K

46.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 MYR 24.22

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-68.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 MYR 23.01

$3.95 COP 12.4K

42.78%

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

$116 MYR 476

$316 COP 994.2K

-63.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,285 MYR 17.5K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-28.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 MYR 444

$60.0 COP 188.9K

81.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.51 MYR 112

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-13.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MYR 312

$102 COP 320.1K

-24.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MYR 324

$107 COP 338.3K

-26.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 MYR 1,590

$475 COP 1.5M

-18.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,110

$374 COP 1.2M

-27.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,637

$849 COP 2.7M

-23.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,906

$719 COP 2.3M

-35.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,950 MYR 7,963

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-40.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,129 MYR 4,609

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-21.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 MYR 2,483

$624 COP 2.0M

-2.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

13.43

-70.51%

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

Last update for Muar: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Muar versus $475 in Medellin. 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 3% higher in Medellin. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Muar versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $310 in Muar vs $193 in Medellin – 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

Muar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,499 per month in Muar and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Muar, 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 $24.00 in Muar and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 251% less in Muar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Muar, where all-in costs run around $1,000, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Muar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Muar – 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 Muar. 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.