🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $781 in Bintulu versus $1,034 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Bintulu versus $1,577 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,667 in Bintulu versus $2,120 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Bintulu costs roughly 24% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu42% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Bintulu
Medellin
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.71MYR 14.66
$5.92COP 21.4K
-37.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.73MYR 70.0
$32.75COP 118.2K
-45.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.67MYR 22.40
$7.20COP 26.0K
-21.25%
Cappuccino
$2.80MYR 11.07
$1.70COP 6,140
64.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62MYR 2.44
$1.10COP 3,966
-43.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39MYR 1.55
$0.72COP 2,605
-45.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.80MYR 11.05
$1.67COP 6,022
67.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.89MYR 19.33
$3.10COP 11.2K
57.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bintulu
Medellin
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.74MYR 6.88
$1.06COP 3,809
64.15%
White Bread(500g)
$1.38MYR 5.45
$1.25COP 4,497
10.40%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.32MYR 5.21
$1.39COP 5,022
-5.04%
Eggs
$2.11MYR 8.34
$2.26COP 8,168
-6.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.62MYR 65.7
$4.33COP 15.6K
283.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.33MYR 13.17
$5.84COP 21.1K
-42.98%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.77MYR 22.79
$8.83COP 31.9K
-34.65%
Apples(1kg)
$1.61MYR 6.36
$2.24COP 8,099
-28.13%
Banana(1kg)
$0.90MYR 3.57
$1.08COP 3,882
-16.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.63MYR 6.44
$1.53COP 5,522
6.54%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.11MYR 4.38
$1.37COP 4,950
-18.98%
Potato(1kg)
$0.49MYR 1.95
$1.13COP 4,078
-56.64%
Onion(1kg)
$1.20MYR 4.76
$1.12COP 4,036
7.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.73MYR 2.88
$0.85COP 3,057
-14.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42MYR 1.66
$0.91COP 3,281
-53.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08MYR 16.12
$2.33COP 8,414
75.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.12MYR 75.5
$11.13COP 40.2K
71.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79MYR 11.01
$1.19COP 4,309
134.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91MYR 7.53
$2.37COP 8,553
-19.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Bintulu
Medellin
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.21MYR 4.79
$0.79COP 2,838
53.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$15.86MYR 62.6
$41.13COP 148.5K
-61.44%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.92MYR 3.63
$1.44COP 5,184
-36.11%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.88MYR 3.46
$1.91COP 6,901
-53.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.39MYR 9.46
$8.02COP 28.9K
-70.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.51MYR 2.03
$0.94COP 3,385
-45.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.8KMYR 168.9K
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
138.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.2KMYR 151.0K
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
42.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bintulu
Medellin
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$57.9MYR 229
$84.0COP 303.1K
-31.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.27MYR 36.61
$9.60COP 34.7K
-3.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.53MYR 117
$24.16COP 87.2K
22.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bintulu
Medellin
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$65.7MYR 259
$25.88COP 93.4K
153.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.00MYR 23.71
$19.04COP 68.7K
-68.49%
Cinema Ticket
$4.26MYR 16.84
$3.92COP 14.1K
8.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bintulu
Medellin
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$122MYR 483
$306COP 1.1M
-60.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,059MYR 27.9K
$5,919COP 21.4M
19.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bintulu
Medellin
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.3MYR 250
$57.9COP 209.1K
9.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.69MYR 133
$31.82COP 114.9K
5.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.8MYR 303
$99.9COP 360.6K
-23.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MYR 353
$107COP 386.8K
-16.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bintulu
Medellin
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$213MYR 843
$487COP 1.8M
-56.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$151MYR 597
$368COP 1.3M
-58.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$467MYR 1,845
$826COP 3.0M
-43.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$316MYR 1,248
$716COP 2.6M
-55.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,831MYR 7,234
$2,925COP 10.6M
-37.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,198MYR 4,732
$1,407COP 5.1M
-14.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bintulu
Medellin
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$639MYR 2,525
$546COP 2.0M
17.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.5
13.43
-66.49%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Bintulu: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Bintulu and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bintulu pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $18.00 in Bintulu vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $222 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Bintulu vs Medellin: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Bintulu or Medellin?
Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Bintulu or Medellin?
Bintulu pays 17% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Bintulu vs Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $213 in Bintulu versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Bintulu compared to Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $781 per month in Bintulu versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Bintulu vs Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 159% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Bintulu or Medellin?
At $781 in Bintulu versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bintulu or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $781 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.
How safe is Bintulu compared to Medellin?
Safety-wise, Bintulu and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Bintulu vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado