Cost of Living Comparison Between Puchong and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Puchong and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $807 per month in Puchong vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,287 per month in Puchong vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,767 per month in Puchong vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Puchong is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Puchong and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Puchong 40% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 MYR 13.80

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-41.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.12 MYR 75.5

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-41.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MYR 18.06

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-36.53%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 11.79

$1.70 COP 6,186

75.29%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.28

$1.10 COP 3,996

-24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.11

$0.72 COP 2,625

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.19 MYR 16.54

$1.67 COP 6,067

150.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 MYR 22.64

$3.10 COP 11.3K

84.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.56

$1.06 COP 3,837

81.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 3.98

$1.25 COP 4,531

-19.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.09

$1.39 COP 5,060

-7.19%

Eggs

$1.82 MYR 7.20

$2.26 COP 8,229

-19.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 MYR 44.52

$4.33 COP 15.8K

160.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 MYR 18.67

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-19.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.56 MYR 33.83

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-3.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MYR 11.75

$2.24 COP 8,159

32.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 MYR 3.80

$1.08 COP 3,911

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.36

$1.53 COP 5,563

71.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.82

$1.37 COP 4,987

7.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.10

$1.13 COP 4,109

14.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.25

$1.12 COP 4,067

18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.12

$0.85 COP 3,080

22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.27

$0.91 COP 3,305

-37.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 16.86

$2.33 COP 8,477

83.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 MYR 60.5

$11.13 COP 40.5K

37.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.35

$1.19 COP 4,342

141.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.50

$2.37 COP 8,617

22.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.70

$0.79 COP 2,859

-13.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 MYR 45.81

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-71.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.80

$1.44 COP 5,223

-15.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.91 COP 6,952

-48.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-42.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.94 COP 3,410

-47.87%

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

$20.2K MYR 79.8K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

12.75%

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

$26.0K MYR 102.8K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-2.88%

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

$45.78 MYR 181

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-45.47%

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

$9.40 MYR 37.12

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-2.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.18 MYR 99.5

$24.16 COP 87.9K

4.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.10 MYR 151

$25.88 COP 94.1K

47.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.03 MYR 27.78

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-63.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.15 MYR 20.34

$3.92 COP 14.2K

31.38%

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

$188 MYR 745

$306 COP 1.1M

-38.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,323 MYR 36.8K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

57.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 MYR 231

$57.9 COP 210.6K

1.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.35 MYR 148

$31.82 COP 115.7K

17.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 MYR 331

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-16.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 MYR 285

$107 COP 389.7K

-32.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,061

$487 COP 1.8M

-44.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 MYR 821

$368 COP 1.3M

-43.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 MYR 2,604

$826 COP 3.0M

-20.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 MYR 1,690

$716 COP 2.6M

-40.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,641 MYR 6,482

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-43.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$824 MYR 3,255

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-41.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,201 MYR 4,744

$546 COP 2.0M

120.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

13.43

-66.72%

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

Last update for Puchong: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $269 in Puchong 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 120% higher in Puchong, 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 $19.00 in Puchong versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Puchong 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

Puchong vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, 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 $1,211 per month in Puchong 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 Puchong, 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 $19.00 in Puchong 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 $807 in Puchong and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Puchong, where all-in costs run around $807, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Puchong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puchong – 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 Puchong. 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.