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: $919 in Labuan versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Labuan versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,902 in Labuan versus $2,188 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 MYR 21.21

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-12.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.49 MYR 95.3

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-29.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 MYR 26.00

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-11.34%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MYR 15.20

$1.63 COP 5,687

130.06%

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

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$1.09 COP 3,821

-5.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$0.73 COP 2,548

-41.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MYR 14.01

$1.74 COP 6,065

98.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 MYR 19.50

$3.23 COP 11.3K

48.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MYR 6.56

$1.05 COP 3,662

54.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.78

$1.29 COP 4,515

-27.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.05

$1.32 COP 4,617

-5.30%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.33

$2.27 COP 7,927

-9.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 MYR 61.5

$4.35 COP 15.2K

248.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 MYR 17.87

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 38.75

$8.61 COP 30.0K

11.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.71

$2.25 COP 7,844

28.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.86

$1.07 COP 3,733

35.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.49

$1.52 COP 5,322

70.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.60

$1.42 COP 4,964

-2.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.97

$1.17 COP 4,084

5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.40

$1.17 COP 4,077

13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MYR 4.24

$0.89 COP 3,096

17.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.09

$0.90 COP 3,146

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.28

$2.25 COP 7,837

89.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.78 MYR 76.2

$11.04 COP 38.5K

70.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$1.14 COP 3,977

142.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 12.03

$2.38 COP 8,301

24.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.97

$0.84 COP 2,916

-13.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 48.02

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-71.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$1.41 COP 4,912

-14.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$1.90 COP 6,634

-45.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 MYR 23.98

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-23.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$1.01 COP 3,509

-50.50%

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

$35.7K MYR 144.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

102.90%

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

$31.4K MYR 127.3K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

18.45%

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

$43.07 MYR 175

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-48.53%

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

$9.16 MYR 37.16

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-3.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.91 MYR 117

$24.11 COP 84.1K

19.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.49 MYR 152

$25.31 COP 88.3K

48.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.47

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-69.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MYR 20.20

$4.10 COP 14.3K

21.46%

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

$186 MYR 754

$312 COP 1.1M

-40.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,044 MYR 28.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

17.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 242

$58.0 COP 202.6K

3.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.77 MYR 113

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-14.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 MYR 300

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-25.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 MYR 206

$109 COP 378.8K

-53.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,544

$482 COP 1.7M

-21.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,074

$379 COP 1.3M

-30.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,582

$837 COP 2.9M

-23.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,949

$723 COP 2.5M

-33.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,009 MYR 8,147

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-29.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$967 MYR 3,922

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-20.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$365 MYR 1,481

$541 COP 1.9M

-32.49%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Labuan and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 48% 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 $249 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 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 48% 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: $381 in Labuan versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $186 in Labuan versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 31% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $919 in Labuan versus $1,017 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 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.