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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $888 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,280 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,672 in Sarawak, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% more than Sarawak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sarawak are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sarawak 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.59 MYR 14.17

64.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$18.94 MYR 74.8

72.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.22 MYR 20.63

37.93%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.73 MYR 10.78

-37.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.77 MYR 3.04

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.37 MYR 1.45

94.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$7.84 MYR 30.98

-78.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$8.53 MYR 33.70

-63.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.85 MYR 7.32

-42.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.93 MYR 3.69

34.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.25 MYR 4.95

11.20%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.14 MYR 8.47

5.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$15.25 MYR 60.2

-71.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.55 MYR 10.06

129.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.61 MYR 37.95

-8.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.90 MYR 11.44

-22.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.46 MYR 5.76

-26.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.51 MYR 9.90

-39.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.40 MYR 5.51

-2.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.22 MYR 4.83

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.26 MYR 4.99

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.04 MYR 4.12

-18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.67 MYR 2.65

35.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.34 MYR 17.14

-46.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$16.87 MYR 66.7

-34.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.86 MYR 11.30

-58.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.01 MYR 11.88

-21.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.68 MYR 2.70

16.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.95 MYR 47.20

244.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.15 MYR 4.56

25.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.03 MYR 4.06

85.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.72 MYR 22.59

40.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.47 MYR 1.84

100.00%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$34.9K MYR 137.8K

-48.62%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$31.6K MYR 124.7K

-15.14%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$42.69 MYR 169

96.67%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$8.94 MYR 35.31

7.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$29.27 MYR 116

-17.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.53 MYR 144

-29.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.72 MYR 22.58

232.87%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.01 MYR 19.80

-21.76%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$187 MYR 741

63.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,906 MYR 27.3K

-14.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$36.96 MYR 146

56.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$39.10 MYR 154

-18.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$78.6 MYR 310

27.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$57.2 MYR 226

87.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$329 MYR 1,299

47.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$269 MYR 1,063

36.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$500 MYR 1,976

65.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$351 MYR 1,388

103.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,801 MYR 7,112

62.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$886 MYR 3,498

58.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$438 MYR 1,731

24.51%

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 Sarawak: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $329 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 25% 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 $241 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 16%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,333 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $888 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 $888, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.