Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bintulu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bintulu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $796 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,228 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,661 in Bintulu.

Living in Medellin is roughly 26% more expensive than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bintulu 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.83 MYR 15.63

54.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$17.41 MYR 71.1

89.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.52 MYR 22.53

34.60%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.79 MYR 11.38

-40.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.66 MYR 2.71

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.39 MYR 1.60

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.84 MYR 11.61

-39.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$5.03 MYR 20.53

-36.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.72 MYR 7.03

-36.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.37 MYR 5.58

-8.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.27 MYR 5.18

8.66%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.10 MYR 8.58

3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$16.76 MYR 68.4

-73.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.47 MYR 14.18

66.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.63 MYR 22.97

59.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.62 MYR 6.62

43.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.92 MYR 3.74

15.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.60 MYR 6.54

-5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.07 MYR 4.35

27.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.53 MYR 2.16

113.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.19 MYR 4.87

-1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.68 MYR 2.79

32.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.43 MYR 1.76

109.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.03 MYR 16.46

-44.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$19.73 MYR 80.6

-38.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.87 MYR 11.72

-58.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.93 MYR 7.87

28.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-29.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$15.40 MYR 62.9

170.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.98 MYR 4.00

44.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.93 MYR 3.80

109.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.32 MYR 9.46

240.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.55 MYR 2.25

80.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$42.9K MYR 175.0K

-58.93%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$37.0K MYR 151.2K

-27.62%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$57.3 MYR 234

44.84%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$9.36 MYR 38.21

3.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$29.91 MYR 122

-21.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$65.2 MYR 266

-61.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$5.96 MYR 24.33

220.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.19 MYR 17.10

-5.73%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$121 MYR 493

161.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,017 MYR 28.7K

-14.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$61.6 MYR 251

-2.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$33.91 MYR 138

-6.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.4 MYR 312

33.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$88.7 MYR 362

21.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$214 MYR 875

121.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$152 MYR 622

145.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$461 MYR 1,881

84.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$315 MYR 1,287

128.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,704 MYR 6,956

91.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,154 MYR 4,711

24.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$601 MYR 2,455

3.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.5

198.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $214 in Bintulu. 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $17.00 in Bintulu. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $224, 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

Medellin vs Bintulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $214 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $796 in Bintulu – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 170% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $796 in Bintulu versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $796 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bintulu 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 Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.