Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sandakan, Sabah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sandakan, Sabah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $970 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,438 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,907 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 69% more than Sandakan, Sabah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Sandakan, Sabah is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.79 MYR 15.42

112.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$20.12 MYR 81.8

140.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$4.90 MYR 19.91

92.24%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.99 MYR 12.18

-1.67%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.80 MYR 3.25

132.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.42 MYR 1.73

247.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$3.69 MYR 15.00

-13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.47 MYR 18.18

27.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.86 MYR 7.56

-22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.05 MYR 4.27

128.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.52 MYR 6.18

11.84%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.89 MYR 7.68

52.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$13.56 MYR 55.2

-25.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.33 MYR 17.61

130.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$9.96 MYR 40.53

42.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.27 MYR 13.28

21.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.77 MYR 7.20

-10.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.43 MYR 9.88

-11.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.62 MYR 6.59

41.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.33 MYR 5.41

50.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.19 MYR 4.86

26.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.20 MYR 4.90

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.57 MYR 2.33

124.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$4.51 MYR 18.36

-14.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$19.18 MYR 78.0

-26.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$3.03 MYR 12.31

-43.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.74 MYR 15.22

-26.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.77 MYR 3.13

62.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$12.63 MYR 51.4

516.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.26 MYR 5.13

3.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.48 MYR 1.94

352.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$7.47 MYR 30.37

10.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.73 MYR 2.97

86.30%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$43.0K MYR 175.0K

-36.14%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$35.1K MYR 142.7K

4.17%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$49.67 MYR 202

239.68%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$9.87 MYR 40.13

37.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$28.51 MYR 116

-0.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$41.59 MYR 169

9.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$6.59 MYR 26.80

161.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.92 MYR 20.00

35.16%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$176 MYR 715

357.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$5,019 MYR 20.4K

83.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$61.3 MYR 250

42.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$34.64 MYR 141

71.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$80.9 MYR 329

71.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$69.9 MYR 284

46.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$423 MYR 1,720

153.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$336 MYR 1,366

94.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$709 MYR 2,886

171.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$497 MYR 2,023

110.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,034 MYR 8,274

102.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,142 MYR 4,644

48.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,246 MYR 5,068

-47.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.2

160.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $423 in Sandakan, Sabah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 90% higher in Sandakan, Sabah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Sandakan, Sabah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $259 – making Sandakan, Sabah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sandakan, Sabah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 69%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,455 in Sandakan, Sabah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sandakan, Sabah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $20.00 in Sandakan, Sabah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $970 in Sandakan, Sabah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sandakan, Sabah, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Sandakan, Sabah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sandakan, Sabah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sandakan, Sabah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.