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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $998 per month in Muar vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,503 per month in Muar vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,008 per month in Muar vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Muar is about 3% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Muar and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Muar 25% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 MYR 10.41

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-55.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.17 MYR 91.5

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-29.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.36 MYR 13.26

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-53.33%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MYR 9.19

$1.70 COP 6,186

37.06%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.09

$1.10 COP 3,996

-29.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.34

$0.72 COP 2,625

-52.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 MYR 16.44

$1.67 COP 6,067

149.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 MYR 21.78

$3.10 COP 11.3K

77.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$1.06 COP 3,837

80.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.45

$1.25 COP 4,531

-9.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.60

$1.39 COP 5,060

2.16%

Eggs

$1.90 MYR 7.52

$2.26 COP 8,229

-15.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.60 MYR 89.3

$4.33 COP 15.8K

421.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 MYR 19.20

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-16.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 MYR 41.24

$8.83 COP 32.1K

18.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 MYR 15.40

$2.24 COP 8,159

74.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.74

$1.08 COP 3,911

58.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 MYR 13.05

$1.53 COP 5,563

115.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.00

$1.37 COP 4,987

84.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.73

$1.13 COP 4,109

50.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$1.12 COP 4,067

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.28

$0.85 COP 3,080

27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.19

$0.91 COP 3,305

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MYR 16.64

$2.33 COP 8,477

80.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.68 MYR 73.8

$11.13 COP 40.5K

67.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 16.82

$1.19 COP 4,342

257.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 MYR 22.34

$2.37 COP 8,617

138.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.69

$0.79 COP 2,859

-13.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 MYR 47.40

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-70.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 MYR 4.62

$1.44 COP 5,223

-18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.51

$1.91 COP 6,952

-40.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 MYR 17.09

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-46.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$0.94 COP 3,410

-51.06%

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

$42.9K MYR 169.3K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

139.19%

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

$31.1K MYR 122.8K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

16.04%

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

$74.5 MYR 294

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-11.33%

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

$9.46 MYR 37.37

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-1.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.28 MYR 112

$24.16 COP 87.9K

17.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.60 MYR 145

$25.88 COP 94.1K

41.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.90

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-69.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 MYR 22.42

$3.92 COP 14.2K

44.90%

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

$118 MYR 464

$306 COP 1.1M

-61.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,393 MYR 17.4K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-25.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 MYR 440

$57.9 COP 210.6K

92.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.19 MYR 107

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-14.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 MYR 299

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-24.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 MYR 310

$107 COP 389.7K

-26.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,500

$487 COP 1.8M

-21.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,047

$368 COP 1.3M

-27.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 MYR 2,595

$826 COP 3.0M

-20.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,897

$716 COP 2.6M

-32.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 MYR 6,460

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-44.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$903 MYR 3,569

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-35.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 MYR 2,548

$546 COP 2.0M

18.24%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $380 in Muar versus $487 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 18% higher in Muar, 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 $23.00 in Muar versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $311 in Muar vs $190 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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,498 per month in Muar and $1,550 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 $23.00 in Muar and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $998 in Muar and $1,034 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 $998, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.