Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Kinabalu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Kinabalu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $848 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,331 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in Kota Kinabalu versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Kota Kinabalu costs roughly 18% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kota Kinabalu 36% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 MYR 14.41

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-42.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.53 MYR 75.8

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-43.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.88

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-37.06%

Cappuccino

$2.70 MYR 11.04

$1.72 COP 5,600

56.98%

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

$0.65 MYR 2.64

$1.05 COP 3,420

-38.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.77 COP 2,515

-49.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MYR 9.80

$1.69 COP 5,488

42.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MYR 14.42

$3.17 COP 10.3K

11.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$1.05 COP 3,423

67.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$1.30 COP 4,236

-6.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.40 COP 4,544

25.00%

Eggs

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$2.16 COP 7,047

28.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.05 MYR 107

$4.39 COP 14.3K

493.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 MYR 14.77

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-38.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.06 MYR 28.87

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-18.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.29

$2.28 COP 7,426

10.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.76

$1.11 COP 3,604

4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 MYR 13.07

$1.53 COP 4,983

109.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.10

$1.35 COP 4,410

46.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.17

$1.13 COP 3,674

33.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.26

$1.13 COP 3,692

56.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.63

$0.85 COP 2,753

32.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.91 COP 2,975

-43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.07

$2.34 COP 7,630

78.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.66 MYR 64.0

$12.37 COP 40.3K

26.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MYR 7.84

$1.20 COP 3,909

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$2.49 COP 8,104

-34.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 MYR 6.36

$0.84 COP 2,728

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.74 MYR 167

$40.57 COP 132.1K

0.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$1.42 COP 4,623

30.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$1.92 COP 6,235

-75.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MYR 23.61

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-24.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.99 COP 3,223

-53.54%

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

$29.4K MYR 120.0K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

62.79%

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

$27.2K MYR 111.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

2.26%

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

$52.5 MYR 215

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-35.08%

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

$9.29 MYR 38.00

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-6.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.03 MYR 135

$24.18 COP 78.7K

36.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.88 MYR 179

$25.08 COP 81.7K

74.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.99 MYR 12.22

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-84.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MYR 18.63

$3.98 COP 13.0K

14.57%

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

$128 MYR 525

$305 COP 993.5K

-57.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,486 MYR 18.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-25.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 MYR 243

$58.1 COP 189.2K

2.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.13 MYR 94.6

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 MYR 290

$101 COP 327.9K

-29.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 MYR 384

$108 COP 350.8K

-12.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,546

$477 COP 1.6M

-20.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 MYR 687

$376 COP 1.2M

-55.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,658

$845 COP 2.7M

-23.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 MYR 1,483

$730 COP 2.4M

-50.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,793 MYR 7,334

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-44.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,086 MYR 4,440

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-20.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 MYR 2,432

$617 COP 2.0M

-3.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

13.43

-71.71%

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

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $378 in Kota Kinabalu and $477 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: $19.00 in Kota Kinabalu vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 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

Kota Kinabalu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kota Kinabalu wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kota Kinabalu 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: $378 in Kota Kinabalu versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kota Kinabalu runs roughly 0% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $128 in Kota Kinabalu versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $848 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kota Kinabalu but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kota Kinabalu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kota Kinabalu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $848 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kota Kinabalu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kota Kinabalu 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 Kota Kinabalu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.