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: $976 in Labuan versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,496 in Labuan versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,016 in Labuan versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Labuan costs roughly 42% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Labuan is 29% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 MYR 22.41

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-31.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.04 MYR 102

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-47.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 MYR 27.92

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-30.84%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MYR 16.28

$3.13 COP 9,937

27.48%

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

$1.07 MYR 4.37

$1.91 COP 6,058

-43.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.69

$1.51 COP 4,794

-72.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 MYR 16.77

$3.12 COP 9,917

31.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.37

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-34.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.44 COP 4,587

22.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$2.49 COP 7,894

-56.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.84

$1.77 COP 5,631

-19.21%

Eggs

$1.91 MYR 7.78

$2.96 COP 9,396

-35.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.99 MYR 69.3

$10.07 COP 32.0K

68.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 MYR 18.50

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-55.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 MYR 40.43

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-30.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.71

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-24.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.49

$1.61 COP 5,106

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 MYR 9.71

$2.25 COP 7,129

5.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.66

$2.25 COP 7,150

-38.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.48

$2.04 COP 6,486

-34.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.97

$1.54 COP 4,873

-20.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

$1.17 COP 3,715

-2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.15

$1.31 COP 4,148

-59.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MYR 18.98

$3.90 COP 12.4K

19.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.54 MYR 87.9

$14.01 COP 44.5K

53.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 MYR 10.32

$1.74 COP 5,534

45.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.81

$2.87 COP 9,112

18.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 MYR 3.45

$1.22 COP 3,858

-31.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.20 MYR 53.9

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-83.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 MYR 5.77

$1.31 COP 4,155

7.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.02

$2.19 COP 6,944

-77.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 MYR 31.96

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-10.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.18

$1.37 COP 4,334

-43.07%

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

$43.6K MYR 178.0K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

56.73%

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

$31.3K MYR 127.5K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-12.64%

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

$50.1 MYR 204

$177 COP 562.9K

-71.73%

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

$9.61 MYR 39.18

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-30.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.20 MYR 115

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-5.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.96 MYR 179

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-2.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 MYR 27.58

$17.12 COP 54.4K

-60.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 MYR 18.21

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-32.93%

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

$194 MYR 790

$813 COP 2.6M

-76.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,758 MYR 19.4K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-48.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 MYR 247

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-32.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 MYR 141

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-41.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MYR 328

$138 COP 438.8K

-41.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.1 MYR 294

$102 COP 324.2K

-29.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 MYR 1,845

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-57.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 MYR 1,270

$663 COP 2.1M

-53.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 MYR 2,858

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-62.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 MYR 2,124

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-49.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,900 MYR 7,751

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-54.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,043 MYR 4,255

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-37.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$375 MYR 1,531

$678 COP 2.2M

-44.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

10.94

-61.61%

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

Last update for Labuan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Labuan and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 81% 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: $25.00 in Labuan vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $305 per month, with Labuan 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

Labuan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Labuan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 81% 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: $452 in Labuan versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $194 in Labuan versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $976 in Labuan versus $1,681 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 72% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.