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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $899 in Labuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,375 in Labuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,850 in Labuan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 12% more expensive than in Labuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Labuan 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.39 MYR 22.01

9.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.9K

$23.31 MYR 95.2

41.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.61 MYR 26.98

12.41%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,211

$3.68 MYR 15.05

-55.16%

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

$1.10 COP 3,471

$1.03 MYR 4.21

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,460

$0.39 MYR 1.60

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,416

$3.51 MYR 14.34

-51.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.94 MYR 20.17

-35.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,477

$1.66 MYR 6.78

-33.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,965

$1.02 MYR 4.15

23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,353

$1.25 MYR 5.09

10.40%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,864

$2.13 MYR 8.70

2.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.2K

$14.98 MYR 61.2

-70.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.3K

$4.35 MYR 17.75

33.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.3K

$9.37 MYR 38.27

-4.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,314

$2.96 MYR 12.10

-21.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,355

$1.45 MYR 5.90

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,778

$2.61 MYR 10.68

-41.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,273

$1.43 MYR 5.82

-4.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,555

$1.22 MYR 5.00

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,692

$1.32 MYR 5.40

-11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,840

$1.00 MYR 4.10

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,826

$0.51 MYR 2.10

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,039

$4.20 MYR 17.16

-46.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$19.71 MYR 80.5

-38.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,746

$2.76 MYR 11.26

-56.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,822

$2.92 MYR 11.93

-15.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,690

$0.72 MYR 2.95

18.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.1K

$11.86 MYR 48.45

250.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,462

$1.17 MYR 4.77

21.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,146

$1.03 MYR 4.22

89.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.02 MYR 24.58

31.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,121

$0.50 MYR 2.04

98.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.5M

$35.5K MYR 144.9K

-50.39%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$31.0K MYR 126.6K

-13.55%

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

$83.0 COP 261.6K

$44.40 MYR 181

86.96%

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

$9.70 COP 30.6K

$9.04 MYR 36.92

7.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$29.09 MYR 119

-19.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.6K

$36.80 MYR 150

-31.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

$5.87 MYR 23.97

225.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.97 MYR 20.31

-20.52%

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

$316 COP 995.1K

$187 MYR 764

68.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,975 MYR 28.5K

-14.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 189.1K

$59.9 MYR 244

0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.3K

$26.87 MYR 110

18.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.4K

$71.7 MYR 293

41.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.6K

$51.3 MYR 210

109.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$385 MYR 1,573

23.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$272 MYR 1,110

37.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$654 MYR 2,672

29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$480 MYR 1,959

49.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,233 MYR 9,117

46.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,011 MYR 4,128

42.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$362 MYR 1,480

72.33%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Labuan: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $385 in Labuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 72% 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 $193 vs $252, 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 72% 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 $385 in Labuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $187 in Labuan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 30% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $899 in Labuan versus $1,003 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 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.