Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $862 per month in Penang vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,379 per month in Penang vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Penang vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Penang is about 17% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Penang and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Penang 36% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.24

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-47.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 MYR 83.5

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-35.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.27

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-42.78%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.36

$1.70 COP 6,186

69.41%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.75

$1.10 COP 3,996

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.72 COP 2,625

-54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$1.67 COP 6,067

157.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$3.10 COP 11.3K

42.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.06 COP 3,837

78.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$1.25 COP 4,531

-17.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 7.86

$1.39 COP 5,060

43.17%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$2.26 COP 8,229

-9.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 MYR 68.4

$4.33 COP 15.8K

299.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.54

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-15.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$8.83 COP 32.1K

69.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$2.24 COP 8,159

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

$1.08 COP 3,911

39.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.38

$1.53 COP 5,563

71.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$1.37 COP 4,987

52.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$1.13 COP 4,109

4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.63

$1.12 COP 4,067

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.59

$0.85 COP 3,080

7.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.91 COP 3,305

-47.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.94

$2.33 COP 8,477

84.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

$11.13 COP 40.5K

74.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.82

$1.19 COP 4,342

130.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$2.37 COP 8,617

43.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.80

$0.79 COP 2,859

-41.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.53 MYR 69.3

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-57.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$1.44 COP 5,223

-48.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$1.91 COP 6,952

-72.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.46

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-13.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.94 COP 3,410

-51.06%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

86.90%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

4.25%

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

$39.31 MYR 155

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-53.18%

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

$10.23 MYR 40.40

$9.60 COP 34.9K

6.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 MYR 123

$24.16 COP 87.9K

29.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 MYR 131

$25.88 COP 94.1K

28.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MYR 21.30

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-71.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.01

$3.92 COP 14.2K

22.70%

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

$240 MYR 947

$306 COP 1.1M

-21.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

4.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-6.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-8.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 239

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-39.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 208

$107 COP 389.7K

-50.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$487 COP 1.8M

-21.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MYR 895

$368 COP 1.3M

-38.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

$826 COP 3.0M

-22.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,077

$716 COP 2.6M

-26.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-20.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-14.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

$546 COP 2.0M

77.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

13.43

-69.02%

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

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Penang 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 77% higher in Penang, 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 $21.00 in Penang versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Penang 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

Penang vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 20%, 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 $1,294 per month in Penang 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 Penang, 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 $21.00 in Penang 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 $862 in Penang and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Penang, where all-in costs run around $862, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Penang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Penang – 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 Penang. 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.