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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,012 per month in Muar vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,544 per month in Muar vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,076 per month in Muar vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Muar is about 40% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Muar sits 26% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 MYR 19.89

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-39.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.96 MYR 123

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-37.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.03 MYR 16.50

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-59.25%

Cappuccino

$3.17 MYR 12.96

$3.13 COP 9,873

1.28%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.27

$1.91 COP 6,019

-58.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$1.51 COP 4,763

-68.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 MYR 18.52

$3.12 COP 9,853

44.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 MYR 25.85

$5.75 COP 18.1K

9.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 MYR 8.64

$1.44 COP 4,558

46.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.52

$2.49 COP 7,843

-55.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.62

$1.77 COP 5,595

19.21%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.20

$2.96 COP 9,336

-15.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.92 MYR 65.2

$10.07 COP 31.8K

58.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 MYR 19.93

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-51.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.60 MYR 39.28

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-32.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 MYR 14.20

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-16.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$1.61 COP 5,073

15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 MYR 9.81

$2.25 COP 7,083

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.72

$2.25 COP 7,104

-27.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.32

$2.04 COP 6,444

-36.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.69

$1.54 COP 4,842

-9.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.78

$1.17 COP 3,691

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$1.31 COP 4,121

-46.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 MYR 18.16

$3.90 COP 12.3K

13.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.92 MYR 77.4

$14.01 COP 44.2K

35.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 MYR 14.07

$1.74 COP 5,498

97.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 MYR 19.80

$2.87 COP 9,053

68.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.79

$1.22 COP 3,834

-44.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.41 MYR 50.8

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-84.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.15

$1.31 COP 4,129

-3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.97

$2.19 COP 6,899

-78.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 MYR 20.04

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-43.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 MYR 3.36

$1.37 COP 4,306

-40.15%

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

$42.7K MYR 174.9K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

53.55%

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

$34.8K MYR 142.6K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-2.58%

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

$63.5 MYR 260

$177 COP 559.3K

-64.18%

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

$9.12 MYR 37.35

$13.88 COP 43.8K

-34.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.12 MYR 107

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-12.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.45 MYR 166

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-9.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.33 MYR 29.99

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-57.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.35 MYR 21.91

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-19.55%

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

$306 MYR 1,252

$813 COP 2.6M

-62.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,880 MYR 20.0K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-46.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 MYR 289

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-21.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.99 MYR 172

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-28.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 MYR 364

$138 COP 435.9K

-35.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 MYR 410

$102 COP 322.1K

-1.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 MYR 1,507

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-65.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,422

$663 COP 2.1M

-47.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 MYR 2,517

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-67.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 MYR 1,767

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-57.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,970 MYR 8,064

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-52.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,132 MYR 4,635

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-32.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 MYR 2,548

$678 COP 2.1M

-8.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

10.94

-61.61%

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

Last update for Muar: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $368 in Muar versus $1,062 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 9% 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 $30.00 in Muar versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 vs $305 – making Muar 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

Muar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 66%, 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 $1,518 per month in Muar and $2,521 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 $30.00 in Muar and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,012 in Muar and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Muar, where all-in costs run around $1,012, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.