Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $796 in Bintulu versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,228 in Bintulu versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,661 in Bintulu versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 21% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 40% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 MYR 15.63

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-35.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.41 MYR 71.1

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-47.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 MYR 22.53

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-25.71%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.38

$1.65 COP 5,207

69.09%

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

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$1.10 COP 3,468

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.78 COP 2,458

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$1.72 COP 5,412

65.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 20.53

$3.18 COP 10.0K

58.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$1.10 COP 3,474

56.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.58

$1.26 COP 3,962

8.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.18

$1.38 COP 4,349

-7.97%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.58

$2.18 COP 6,858

-3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.76 MYR 68.4

$4.49 COP 14.1K

273.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 MYR 14.18

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-40.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.63 MYR 22.97

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-37.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$2.32 COP 7,308

-30.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$1.06 COP 3,352

-13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.54

$1.52 COP 4,774

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.35

$1.36 COP 4,270

-21.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$1.13 COP 3,552

-53.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$1.17 COP 3,689

1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 MYR 2.79

$0.90 COP 2,838

-24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.76

$0.90 COP 2,823

-52.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 MYR 16.46

$2.23 COP 7,034

80.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 MYR 80.6

$12.12 COP 38.2K

62.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.72

$1.19 COP 3,743

141.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$2.48 COP 7,815

-22.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.85 COP 2,687

41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.40 MYR 62.9

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-63.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 4.00

$1.42 COP 4,459

-30.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 MYR 3.80

$1.95 COP 6,141

-52.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MYR 9.46

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-70.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.99 COP 3,118

-44.44%

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

$42.9K MYR 175.0K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

143.47%

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

$37.0K MYR 151.2K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

38.17%

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

$57.3 MYR 234

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-30.96%

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

$9.36 MYR 38.21

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-3.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.91 MYR 122

$23.52 COP 74.1K

27.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 MYR 266

$25.26 COP 79.5K

157.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 24.33

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-68.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 MYR 17.10

$3.95 COP 12.4K

6.08%

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

$121 MYR 493

$316 COP 994.2K

-61.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,017 MYR 28.7K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

17.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 MYR 251

$60.0 COP 188.9K

2.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 MYR 138

$31.82 COP 100.2K

6.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 MYR 312

$102 COP 320.1K

-24.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 MYR 362

$107 COP 338.3K

-17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 MYR 875

$475 COP 1.5M

-54.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 MYR 622

$374 COP 1.2M

-59.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 MYR 1,881

$849 COP 2.7M

-45.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MYR 1,287

$719 COP 2.3M

-56.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,704 MYR 6,956

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-47.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,154 MYR 4,711

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-19.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 MYR 2,455

$624 COP 2.0M

-3.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

13.43

-66.49%

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

Last update for Bintulu: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Bintulu and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Bintulu vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $224 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bintulu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 26% 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.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $214 in Bintulu versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $796 per month in Bintulu versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 170% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $796 in Bintulu versus $1,003 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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $796 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

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.

Expats usually find Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.