Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $927 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,842 per month in Setia Alam vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Setia Alam is about 8% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Setia Alam and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Setia Alam 31% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 MYR 18.31

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-23.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.15 MYR 92.4

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-29.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.32

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-31.73%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.50

$1.71 COP 6,105

83.04%

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

$0.89 MYR 3.56

$1.10 COP 3,918

-19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.47

$0.78 COP 2,776

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 16.99

$1.68 COP 5,987

153.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MYR 22.91

$3.07 COP 10.9K

86.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.16

$1.09 COP 3,899

65.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MYR 2.72

$1.26 COP 4,500

-46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.91

$1.38 COP 4,914

-28.99%

Eggs

$1.73 MYR 6.91

$2.19 COP 7,813

-21.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 MYR 18.44

$4.40 COP 15.7K

5.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 MYR 15.63

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-30.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 MYR 37.69

$8.89 COP 31.7K

6.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.29

$2.34 COP 8,334

-43.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 MYR 6.34

$1.06 COP 3,771

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.14

$1.50 COP 5,365

-14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.71

$1.38 COP 4,915

3.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.93

$1.15 COP 4,104

6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.07

$1.16 COP 4,148

9.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MYR 2.42

$0.89 COP 3,176

-31.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.24

$0.84 COP 2,992

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MYR 16.20

$2.28 COP 8,131

78.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.94 MYR 79.6

$10.64 COP 37.9K

87.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 MYR 12.90

$1.20 COP 4,276

169.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 MYR 17.05

$2.47 COP 8,809

72.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.86 COP 3,051

-15.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.93 MYR 47.61

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-71.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.64

$1.47 COP 5,255

-21.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.54

$1.96 COP 6,997

-41.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MYR 18.42

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-40.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.90

$0.95 COP 3,403

-49.47%

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

$39.3K MYR 156.9K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

116.82%

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

$32.2K MYR 128.6K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

21.65%

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

$58.1 MYR 232

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-29.42%

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

$10.59 MYR 42.26

$9.50 COP 33.9K

11.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.89 MYR 103

$24.23 COP 86.4K

6.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MYR 223

$25.89 COP 92.3K

115.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.35 MYR 9.37

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-87.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 MYR 20.39

$3.93 COP 14.0K

30.03%

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

$193 MYR 769

$309 COP 1.1M

-37.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,575 MYR 38.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

60.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 245

$58.7 COP 209.1K

4.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.70 MYR 98.6

$32.35 COP 115.3K

-23.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 MYR 337

$103 COP 365.7K

-17.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 208

$108 COP 386.5K

-52.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 MYR 1,979

$476 COP 1.7M

4.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MYR 1,233

$379 COP 1.4M

-18.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 MYR 3,252

$838 COP 3.0M

-2.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 MYR 2,091

$724 COP 2.6M

-27.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,965 MYR 7,840

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-29.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 MYR 3,955

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-18.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 MYR 4,708

$512 COP 1.8M

130.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

13.43

-69.32%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $496 in Setia Alam versus $476 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 131% higher in Setia Alam, 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 Setia Alam versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Setia Alam vs $188 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

Setia Alam vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,390 per month in Setia Alam and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Setia Alam, 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 Setia Alam 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 $927 in Setia Alam and $1,013 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 Setia Alam, where all-in costs run around $927, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Setia Alam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setia Alam – 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 Setia Alam. 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.