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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $832 per month in Puchong vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,304 per month in Puchong vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,775 per month in Puchong vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Puchong is about 18% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Puchong and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Puchong 38% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.72

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-38.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.1

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-43.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 MYR 19.36

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-34.02%

Cappuccino

$3.02 MYR 12.23

$1.63 COP 5,687

85.28%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.20

$1.09 COP 3,821

-27.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$0.73 COP 2,548

-28.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.20 MYR 17.02

$1.74 COP 6,065

141.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 MYR 24.27

$3.23 COP 11.3K

85.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.71

$1.05 COP 3,662

80.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.23

$1.29 COP 4,515

-19.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.23

$1.32 COP 4,617

-2.27%

Eggs

$1.90 MYR 7.70

$2.27 COP 7,927

-16.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 MYR 46.37

$4.35 COP 15.2K

162.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.34

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-23.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 MYR 33.08

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-5.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.59

$2.25 COP 7,844

27.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.97

$1.07 COP 3,733

-8.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 MYR 11.01

$1.52 COP 5,322

78.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.09

$1.42 COP 4,964

5.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.27

$1.17 COP 4,084

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.63

$1.17 COP 4,077

18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.34

$0.89 COP 3,096

20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.34

$0.90 COP 3,146

-35.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.27

$2.25 COP 7,837

89.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.00 MYR 60.8

$11.04 COP 38.5K

35.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.82

$1.14 COP 3,977

156.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 MYR 11.72

$2.38 COP 8,301

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.94

$0.84 COP 2,916

-13.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.35

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-71.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.90

$1.41 COP 4,912

-14.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.90 COP 6,634

-47.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 MYR 19.54

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-37.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$1.01 COP 3,509

-53.47%

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

$20.2K MYR 81.8K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

14.70%

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

$25.8K MYR 104.6K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-2.62%

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

$45.43 MYR 184

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-45.71%

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

$9.22 MYR 37.40

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-2.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.61 MYR 104

$24.11 COP 84.1K

6.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.49 MYR 152

$25.31 COP 88.3K

48.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.02 MYR 28.48

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-63.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MYR 19.98

$4.10 COP 14.3K

20.24%

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

$185 MYR 751

$312 COP 1.1M

-40.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,519 MYR 38.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

58.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 242

$58.0 COP 202.6K

3.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 MYR 150

$32.56 COP 113.6K

13.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 MYR 328

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-18.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 MYR 286

$109 COP 378.8K

-35.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,087

$482 COP 1.7M

-44.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 MYR 853

$379 COP 1.3M

-44.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MYR 2,652

$837 COP 2.9M

-21.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 MYR 1,709

$723 COP 2.5M

-41.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,648 MYR 6,683

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-41.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$813 MYR 3,297

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-33.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,383 MYR 5,607

$541 COP 1.9M

155.65%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in Puchong versus $482 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 156% 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 – $230 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 22%, 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 $1,249 per month in Puchong and $1,525 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 $832 in Puchong and $1,017 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 $832, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.