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: $893 in Labuan versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,380 in Labuan versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,868 in Labuan versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Labuan costs roughly 14% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Labuan 33% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 MYR 20.48

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-12.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.52 MYR 92.9

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-28.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 MYR 25.08

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-11.81%

Cappuccino

$3.65 MYR 14.42

$1.70 COP 6,140

114.71%

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

$1.04 MYR 4.09

$1.10 COP 3,966

-5.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.72 COP 2,605

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MYR 13.62

$1.67 COP 6,022

106.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.32

$3.10 COP 11.2K

57.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MYR 6.37

$1.06 COP 3,809

51.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 MYR 3.78

$1.25 COP 4,497

-23.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.39 COP 5,022

-10.07%

Eggs

$2.03 MYR 8.03

$2.26 COP 8,168

-10.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$4.33 COP 15.6K

246.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 16.99

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-26.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.28 MYR 36.67

$8.83 COP 31.9K

5.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 MYR 11.27

$2.24 COP 8,099

27.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.01

$1.08 COP 3,882

40.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 MYR 10.03

$1.53 COP 5,522

66.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.61

$1.37 COP 4,950

3.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.84

$1.13 COP 4,078

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.18

$1.12 COP 4,036

16.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$0.85 COP 3,057

22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.19

$0.91 COP 3,281

-39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.05

$2.33 COP 8,414

85.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

$11.13 COP 40.2K

74.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.35

$1.19 COP 4,309

141.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.33

$2.37 COP 8,553

21.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.79 COP 2,838

-7.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 47.29

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-70.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$1.44 COP 5,184

-19.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$1.91 COP 6,901

-46.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MYR 22.80

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-28.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$0.94 COP 3,385

-51.06%

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

$35.9K MYR 141.7K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

100.14%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.2K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

18.30%

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

$43.85 MYR 173

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-47.77%

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

$8.89 MYR 35.12

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-7.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.14 MYR 115

$24.16 COP 87.2K

20.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 MYR 145

$25.88 COP 93.4K

41.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.90

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-69.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MYR 19.50

$3.92 COP 14.1K

26.02%

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

$188 MYR 743

$306 COP 1.1M

-38.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,026 MYR 27.8K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

18.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 237

$57.9 COP 209.1K

3.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.76 MYR 110

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-12.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 MYR 289

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-26.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.4 MYR 203

$107 COP 386.8K

-52.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 MYR 1,522

$487 COP 1.8M

-20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,051

$368 COP 1.3M

-27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

$826 COP 3.0M

-22.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MYR 1,871

$716 COP 2.6M

-33.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 MYR 6,126

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-46.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$776 MYR 3,065

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-44.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$376 MYR 1,484

$546 COP 2.0M

-31.11%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Labuan and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 45% 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: $24.00 in Labuan vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 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

Labuan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Labuan is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 45% less. 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 $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $188 in Labuan versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 32% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $893 in Labuan versus $1,034 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 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.