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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $910 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,301 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,692 in Sarawak, rent included.

Medellin costs about 10% more than Sarawak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sarawak are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Sarawak 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.56 MYR 14.53

66.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$18.58 MYR 75.9

77.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.20 MYR 21.24

42.88%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.79 MYR 11.40

-40.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.77 MYR 3.15

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.39 MYR 1.60

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$7.96 MYR 32.50

-78.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$8.35 MYR 34.08

-61.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.86 MYR 7.59

-40.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.00 MYR 4.10

26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.25 MYR 5.10

10.40%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.15 MYR 8.76

1.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$14.97 MYR 61.1

-70.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.56 MYR 10.44

126.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.16 MYR 37.39

-2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.90 MYR 11.85

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.45 MYR 5.93

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.62 MYR 10.71

-41.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.44 MYR 5.89

-5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.18 MYR 4.84

-4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.27 MYR 5.18

-7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.04 MYR 4.23

-13.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.63 MYR 2.56

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.18 MYR 17.07

-46.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$21.03 MYR 85.9

-42.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.85 MYR 11.64

-58.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.89 MYR 11.80

-14.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.73 MYR 2.96

16.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$11.95 MYR 48.78

248.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.16 MYR 4.76

22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.03 MYR 4.22

89.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.92 MYR 24.18

33.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.46 MYR 1.87

115.22%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$35.4K MYR 144.6K

-50.29%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$31.0K MYR 126.6K

-13.60%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$43.71 MYR 178

89.91%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$8.89 MYR 36.29

9.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$28.59 MYR 117

-17.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$36.99 MYR 151

-31.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$6.02 MYR 24.56

217.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.88 MYR 19.94

-19.06%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$186 MYR 760

69.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,913 MYR 28.2K

-13.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$36.01 MYR 147

66.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$38.55 MYR 157

-17.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$77.2 MYR 315

31.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$57.1 MYR 233

88.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$328 MYR 1,339

44.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$272 MYR 1,111

37.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$502 MYR 2,050

69.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$350 MYR 1,427

105.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,078 MYR 8,486

57.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,132 MYR 4,624

27.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$417 MYR 1,702

49.81%

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 Sarawak: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $328 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 50% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $248 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 10%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,366 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $910 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 $910, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.