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

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

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

Living in Medellin is roughly 16% more expensive than Labuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.18 MYR 20.48

14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$23.52 MYR 92.9

39.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.35 MYR 25.08

13.39%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.65 MYR 14.42

-53.42%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.04 MYR 4.09

5.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.39 MYR 1.55

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.45 MYR 13.62

-51.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.89 MYR 19.32

-36.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.61 MYR 6.37

-34.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.96 MYR 3.78

30.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.25 MYR 4.95

11.20%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.03 MYR 8.03

11.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$15.01 MYR 59.3

-71.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.30 MYR 16.99

35.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.28 MYR 36.67

-4.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.85 MYR 11.27

-21.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.52 MYR 6.01

-28.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.54 MYR 10.03

-39.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.42 MYR 5.61

-3.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.23 MYR 4.84

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.31 MYR 5.18

-14.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.04 MYR 4.10

-18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.55 MYR 2.19

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.32 MYR 17.05

-46.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$19.41 MYR 76.7

-42.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.87 MYR 11.35

-58.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.87 MYR 11.33

-17.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.73 MYR 2.89

8.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.97 MYR 47.29

243.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.16 MYR 4.59

24.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.03 MYR 4.05

85.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.77 MYR 22.80

38.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.46 MYR 1.83

104.35%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$35.9K MYR 141.7K

-50.03%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$31.7K MYR 125.2K

-15.47%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$43.85 MYR 173

91.47%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$8.89 MYR 35.12

7.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$29.14 MYR 115

-17.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.62 MYR 145

-29.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.80 MYR 22.90

228.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.94 MYR 19.50

-20.65%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$188 MYR 743

62.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,026 MYR 27.8K

-15.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$59.9 MYR 237

-3.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.76 MYR 110

14.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$73.2 MYR 289

36.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$51.4 MYR 203

108.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$385 MYR 1,522

26.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$266 MYR 1,051

38.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$639 MYR 2,524

29.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$474 MYR 1,871

51.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,551 MYR 6,126

88.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$776 MYR 3,065

81.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$376 MYR 1,484

45.16%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Labuan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $385 in Labuan. 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $24.00 in Labuan. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $250, 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 45% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $385 in Labuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $188 in Labuan. 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, 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 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.