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: $802 in Bintulu versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,238 in Bintulu versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,674 in Bintulu versus $2,188 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 MYR 15.52

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-35.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.48 MYR 70.9

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-47.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 MYR 23.24

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-20.75%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$1.63 COP 5,687

70.55%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.71

$1.09 COP 3,821

-38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.73 COP 2,548

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 MYR 11.33

$1.74 COP 6,065

60.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 MYR 19.65

$3.23 COP 11.3K

49.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 6.97

$1.05 COP 3,662

63.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MYR 5.35

$1.29 COP 4,515

2.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.30

$1.32 COP 4,617

-0.76%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.84

$2.27 COP 7,927

-3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.62 MYR 67.4

$4.35 COP 15.2K

282.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 MYR 14.26

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-40.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.80 MYR 23.52

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-32.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.60

$2.25 COP 7,844

-27.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$1.07 COP 3,733

-14.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.60

$1.52 COP 5,322

7.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.32

$1.42 COP 4,964

-24.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$1.17 COP 4,084

-54.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.17 COP 4,077

-1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 MYR 2.73

$0.89 COP 3,096

-24.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$0.90 COP 3,146

-52.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 MYR 15.83

$2.25 COP 7,837

73.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.51 MYR 79.1

$11.04 COP 38.5K

76.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.40

$1.14 COP 3,977

146.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 MYR 7.53

$2.38 COP 8,301

-21.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.86

$0.84 COP 2,916

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.64 MYR 63.4

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-62.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.69

$1.41 COP 4,912

-35.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MYR 3.55

$1.90 COP 6,634

-53.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 MYR 9.43

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-69.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$1.01 COP 3,509

-49.50%

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

$42.4K MYR 171.9K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

141.13%

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

$38.0K MYR 154.1K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

43.44%

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

$59.1 MYR 240

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-29.36%

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

$8.97 MYR 36.37

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-5.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.31 MYR 119

$24.11 COP 84.1K

21.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.4 MYR 269

$25.31 COP 88.3K

162.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.88 MYR 23.83

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-69.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 MYR 16.79

$4.10 COP 14.3K

0.98%

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

$121 MYR 491

$312 COP 1.1M

-61.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,172 MYR 29.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

19.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 MYR 253

$58.0 COP 202.6K

7.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.27 MYR 139

$32.56 COP 113.6K

5.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MYR 306

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-24.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 MYR 356

$109 COP 378.8K

-19.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$212 MYR 859

$482 COP 1.7M

-56.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 MYR 611

$379 COP 1.3M

-60.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 MYR 1,870

$837 COP 2.9M

-44.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 MYR 1,291

$723 COP 2.5M

-55.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,756 MYR 7,122

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-38.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,159 MYR 4,701

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-5.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$611 MYR 2,478

$541 COP 1.9M

12.96%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $212 in Bintulu and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $17.00 in Bintulu vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $223 vs $190, 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 27% 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.

Bintulu pays 13% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $212 in Bintulu versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $802 per month in Bintulu versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 168% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $802 in Bintulu versus $1,017 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 $802 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 27% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.