Cost of Living Comparison Between Labuan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Labuan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $899 in Labuan versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,375 in Labuan versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,850 in Labuan versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Labuan costs roughly 10% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Labuan 32% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 MYR 22.01

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-8.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.31 MYR 95.2

$32.96 COP 103.9K

-29.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 MYR 26.98

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-11.04%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MYR 15.05

$1.65 COP 5,211

123.03%

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

$1.03 MYR 4.21

$1.10 COP 3,471

-6.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.78 COP 2,460

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.34

$1.72 COP 5,416

104.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 MYR 20.17

$3.18 COP 10.0K

55.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$1.10 COP 3,477

50.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.15

$1.26 COP 3,965

-19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.09

$1.38 COP 4,353

-9.42%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.70

$2.18 COP 6,864

-2.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.98 MYR 61.2

$4.49 COP 14.2K

233.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 MYR 17.75

$5.79 COP 18.3K

-24.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.37 MYR 38.27

$8.97 COP 28.3K

4.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 12.10

$2.32 COP 7,314

27.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.90

$1.06 COP 3,355

36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.68

$1.52 COP 4,778

71.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.82

$1.36 COP 4,273

5.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$1.13 COP 3,555

7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.40

$1.17 COP 3,692

12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.10

$0.90 COP 2,840

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.10

$0.90 COP 2,826

-43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.16

$2.23 COP 7,039

88.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.71 MYR 80.5

$12.12 COP 38.2K

62.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.26

$1.19 COP 3,746

131.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.93

$2.48 COP 7,822

17.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.85 COP 2,690

-15.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.86 MYR 48.45

$41.62 COP 131.1K

-71.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$1.42 COP 4,462

-17.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$1.95 COP 6,146

-47.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 MYR 24.58

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-23.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.99 COP 3,121

-49.49%

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

$35.5K MYR 144.9K

$17.6K COP 55.5M

101.56%

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

$31.0K MYR 126.6K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

15.67%

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

$44.40 MYR 181

$83.0 COP 261.6K

-46.51%

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

$9.04 MYR 36.92

$9.70 COP 30.6K

-6.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.09 MYR 119

$23.52 COP 74.1K

23.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 MYR 150

$25.26 COP 79.6K

45.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.87 MYR 23.97

$19.10 COP 60.2K

-69.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MYR 20.31

$3.95 COP 12.4K

25.82%

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

$187 MYR 764

$316 COP 995.1K

-40.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,975 MYR 28.5K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

16.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 244

$60.0 COP 189.1K

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.87 MYR 110

$31.82 COP 100.3K

-15.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 MYR 293

$102 COP 320.4K

-29.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 MYR 210

$107 COP 338.6K

-52.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 MYR 1,573

$475 COP 1.5M

-18.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,110

$374 COP 1.2M

-27.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MYR 2,672

$849 COP 2.7M

-22.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,959

$719 COP 2.3M

-33.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,233 MYR 9,117

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-31.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,011 MYR 4,128

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-29.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$362 MYR 1,480

$624 COP 2.0M

-41.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

13.43

-69.69%

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

Last update for Labuan: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Labuan and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 72% 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: $23.00 in Labuan vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 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

Labuan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Labuan is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 72% 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: $385 in Labuan versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $187 in Labuan versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 30% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $899 in Labuan versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Labuan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Labuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Labuan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Labuan 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 Labuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.