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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $919 in Labuan.

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

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

Living in Medellin is roughly 11% more expensive than Labuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Labuan 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.23 MYR 21.21

13.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$23.49 MYR 95.3

41.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.41 MYR 26.00

12.79%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.75 MYR 15.20

-56.53%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.03 MYR 4.19

5.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.43 MYR 1.73

69.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.45 MYR 14.01

-49.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.81 MYR 19.50

-32.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.62 MYR 6.56

-35.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.93 MYR 3.78

38.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.25 MYR 5.05

5.60%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.06 MYR 8.33

10.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$15.16 MYR 61.5

-71.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.41 MYR 17.87

33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.56 MYR 38.75

-9.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.89 MYR 11.71

-22.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.45 MYR 5.86

-26.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.59 MYR 10.49

-41.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.38 MYR 5.60

2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.23 MYR 4.97

-4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.33 MYR 5.40

-12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.05 MYR 4.24

-15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.52 MYR 2.09

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.26 MYR 17.28

-47.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$18.78 MYR 76.2

-41.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.76 MYR 11.18

-58.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.97 MYR 12.03

-19.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.73 MYR 2.97

15.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$11.84 MYR 48.02

254.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.20 MYR 4.88

17.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.03 MYR 4.19

84.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.91 MYR 23.98

31.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.50 MYR 2.03

102.00%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$35.7K MYR 144.6K

-50.72%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$31.4K MYR 127.3K

-15.57%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$43.07 MYR 175

94.29%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.16 MYR 37.16

3.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$28.91 MYR 117

-16.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$37.49 MYR 152

-32.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$5.79 MYR 23.47

230.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.98 MYR 20.20

-17.67%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$186 MYR 754

67.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,044 MYR 28.6K

-14.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$59.8 MYR 242

-2.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$27.77 MYR 113

17.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$74.0 MYR 300

34.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$50.9 MYR 206

113.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$381 MYR 1,544

26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$265 MYR 1,074

43.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$637 MYR 2,582

31.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$481 MYR 1,949

50.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,009 MYR 8,147

41.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$967 MYR 3,922

26.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$365 MYR 1,481

48.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.07

229.98%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Labuan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $381 in Labuan. 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $23.00 in Labuan. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $249, 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 Labuan: 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.

Medellin pays 48% more on average, 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: $482 in Medellin versus $381 in Labuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $186 in Labuan. 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, Medellin and Labuan 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.