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: $843 in Bintulu versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,334 in Bintulu versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,824 in Bintulu versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 50% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bintulu is 38% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 MYR 15.88

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-51.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.53 MYR 75.6

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-61.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 MYR 23.57

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-41.56%

Cappuccino

$2.96 MYR 12.09

$3.13 COP 9,937

-5.43%

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

$0.64 MYR 2.62

$1.91 COP 6,058

-66.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.53

$1.51 COP 4,794

-75.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 MYR 11.94

$3.12 COP 9,917

-6.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 MYR 20.93

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-10.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 MYR 8.80

$1.44 COP 4,587

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.61

$2.49 COP 7,894

-44.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$1.77 COP 5,631

-25.42%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.90

$2.96 COP 9,396

-26.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.92 MYR 69.0

$10.07 COP 32.0K

68.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.12

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-65.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 MYR 24.20

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-58.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-59.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.11

$1.61 COP 5,106

-37.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$2.25 COP 7,129

-25.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$2.25 COP 7,150

-48.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 MYR 2.10

$2.04 COP 6,486

-74.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$1.54 COP 4,873

-22.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 MYR 3.09

$1.17 COP 3,715

-35.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MYR 1.81

$1.31 COP 4,148

-66.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.13

$3.90 COP 12.4K

7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.1

$14.01 COP 44.5K

38.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.85

$1.74 COP 5,534

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$2.87 COP 9,112

-32.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$1.22 COP 3,858

-1.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.15 MYR 65.9

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-79.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.31 COP 4,155

-23.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 MYR 3.64

$2.19 COP 6,944

-59.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 MYR 9.77

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-72.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$1.37 COP 4,334

-56.93%

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

$45.0K MYR 183.6K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

61.70%

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

$38.8K MYR 158.5K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

8.59%

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

$59.7 MYR 244

$177 COP 562.9K

-66.33%

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

$31.36 MYR 128

$13.88 COP 44.1K

125.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 MYR 128

$29.72 COP 94.4K

5.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MYR 281

$44.88 COP 142.5K

53.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 MYR 50.2

$17.12 COP 54.4K

-28.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 MYR 18.22

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-32.78%

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

$129 MYR 528

$813 COP 2.6M

-84.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,469 MYR 30.5K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-18.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 MYR 270

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-26.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.14 MYR 143

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-40.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MYR 325

$138 COP 438.8K

-42.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 MYR 374

$102 COP 324.2K

-10.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 MYR 892

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-79.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 MYR 632

$663 COP 2.1M

-76.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 MYR 1,988

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-74.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 MYR 1,378

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-67.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,724 MYR 7,035

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-58.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,139 MYR 4,646

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-31.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 MYR 2,458

$678 COP 2.2M

-11.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

10.94

-58.87%

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

Last update for Bintulu: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $219 in Bintulu and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 12% 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: $19.00 in Bintulu vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $305 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

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 99% 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 12% 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: $219 in Bintulu versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $843 per month in Bintulu versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 398% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $843 in Bintulu versus $1,681 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 $843 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 99% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.