Cost of Living Comparison Between Selangor and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Selangor and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,029 per month in Selangor vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,494 per month in Selangor vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,960 per month in Selangor vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Selangor sits 25% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 MYR 17.76

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-45.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.22 MYR 81.8

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-58.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 MYR 16.43

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-58.44%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 9.06

$2.91 COP 9,167

-23.02%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$1.94 COP 6,122

-56.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$1.52 COP 4,792

-71.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 MYR 18.19

$3.09 COP 9,740

45.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MYR 20.09

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-13.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.62

$1.36 COP 4,296

38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$2.39 COP 7,519

-53.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.02

$1.70 COP 5,356

-12.35%

Eggs

$2.01 MYR 8.14

$2.87 COP 9,038

-29.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.12 MYR 65.2

$9.94 COP 31.3K

62.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MYR 19.79

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-54.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.10

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-32.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.58

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-17.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$1.57 COP 4,950

17.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.51

$2.13 COP 6,695

10.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.69

$2.21 COP 6,972

-24.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.41

$2.05 COP 6,447

-34.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.24

$1.50 COP 4,737

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$1.19 COP 3,747

-1.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.36

$1.16 COP 3,647

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 MYR 18.46

$3.90 COP 12.3K

17.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 MYR 77.2

$14.44 COP 45.5K

32.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.69

$1.58 COP 4,987

114.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.49

$2.83 COP 8,905

79.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 MYR 5.07

$1.17 COP 3,679

6.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.60 MYR 50.9

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-83.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$1.28 COP 4,045

-4.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$2.09 COP 6,589

-39.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MYR 18.05

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-48.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 MYR 2.77

$1.30 COP 4,088

-46.92%

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

$42.9K MYR 173.5K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

55.16%

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

$35.5K MYR 143.5K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-0.05%

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

$65.6 MYR 265

$176 COP 554.5K

-62.77%

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

$9.42 MYR 38.10

$13.37 COP 42.1K

-29.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.41 MYR 107

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-11.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 MYR 164

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-9.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 MYR 28.68

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-58.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 MYR 21.96

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-12.42%

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

$123 MYR 499

$793 COP 2.5M

-84.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,417 MYR 30.0K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-17.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MYR 288

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-16.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 MYR 174

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-26.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 MYR 319

$136 COP 429.3K

-42.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 MYR 333

$103 COP 324.7K

-20.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MYR 2,057

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-51.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,405

$680 COP 2.1M

-48.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 MYR 3,685

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-54.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 MYR 1,977

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-58.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,618 MYR 6,540

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-60.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 MYR 2,874

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-58.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 MYR 4,285

$665 COP 2.1M

59.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

10.94

-63.80%

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

Last update for Selangor: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Selangor versus $1,060 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 59% higher in Selangor, 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 $20.00 in Selangor versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $303 – making Selangor 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

Selangor vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 67%, 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 $1,543 per month in Selangor and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Selangor, 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 $20.00 in Selangor 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 $1,029 in Selangor and $1,716 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 Selangor, where all-in costs run around $1,029, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Selangor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Selangor – 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 Selangor. 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.