Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sarawak Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sarawak

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $900 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,286 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,673 in Sarawak, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than Sarawak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sarawak are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sarawak 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.64 MYR 14.75

63.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$18.77 MYR 76.1

77.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.28 MYR 21.39

36.93%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.76 MYR 11.20

-40.94%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.74 MYR 3.00

47.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.39 MYR 1.59

87.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$7.91 MYR 32.06

-78.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$8.29 MYR 33.61

-61.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.89 MYR 7.67

-44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.00 MYR 4.06

29.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.29 MYR 5.21

2.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.04 MYR 8.26

11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$14.95 MYR 60.6

-70.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.55 MYR 10.36

130.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.68 MYR 39.23

-11.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.91 MYR 11.78

-22.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.48 MYR 5.99

-27.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.58 MYR 10.45

-41.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.45 MYR 5.89

-2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.22 MYR 4.96

-4.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.33 MYR 5.38

-12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.00 MYR 4.07

-11.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.67 MYR 2.72

34.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.29 MYR 17.41

-47.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$17.42 MYR 70.7

-36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.82 MYR 11.45

-59.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.99 MYR 12.12

-20.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.69 MYR 2.82

21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$11.98 MYR 48.57

250.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.15 MYR 4.66

22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.98 MYR 3.97

93.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.92 MYR 23.99

30.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.49 MYR 2.01

106.12%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$34.9K MYR 141.7K

-49.68%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$31.9K MYR 129.4K

-16.96%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$43.20 MYR 175

93.70%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.94 MYR 36.25

5.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$29.23 MYR 119

-17.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$37.24 MYR 151

-32.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.00 MYR 24.31

219.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.06 MYR 20.53

-18.97%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$189 MYR 768

64.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,935 MYR 28.1K

-13.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$36.81 MYR 149

57.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$39.24 MYR 159

-17.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$76.9 MYR 312

29.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$56.1 MYR 227

93.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$324 MYR 1,313

48.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$269 MYR 1,092

40.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$505 MYR 2,046

65.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$360 MYR 1,459

101.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,935 MYR 7,847

46.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$973 MYR 3,944

25.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$420 MYR 1,703

28.80%

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 Sarawak: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $324 in Sarawak. 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 29% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Sarawak. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $243 in Sarawak – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sarawak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,350 in Sarawak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sarawak, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Sarawak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $900 in Sarawak. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarawak, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Sarawak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sarawak – 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 Sarawak. 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.