Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sibu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sibu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $821 in Sibu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,237 in Sibu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,653 in Sibu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 23% more than Sibu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sibu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sibu 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$2.10 MYR 8.43

185.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$8.41 MYR 33.74

290.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$4.00 MYR 16.03

77.25%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$2.13 MYR 8.52

-19.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.60 MYR 2.39

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.23 MYR 0.92

239.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$2.84 MYR 11.40

-40.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$4.95 MYR 19.86

-37.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.39 MYR 5.56

-21.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.33 MYR 5.32

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.20 MYR 4.81

15.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$1.55 MYR 6.22

41.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$14.94 MYR 59.9

-70.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$4.68 MYR 18.77

20.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$5.93 MYR 23.78

49.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$3.04 MYR 12.20

-23.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.21 MYR 4.83

-12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.87 MYR 7.50

-19.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$3.48 MYR 13.95

-60.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$1.25 MYR 5.00

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$2.31 MYR 9.27

-49.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.99 MYR 3.99

-10.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$1.20 MYR 4.83

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$3.94 MYR 15.81

-42.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$18.02 MYR 72.3

-40.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$1.22 MYR 4.88

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$4.09 MYR 16.41

-39.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.73 MYR 2.92

17.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$11.84 MYR 47.46

249.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$1.20 MYR 4.80

22.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.98 MYR 3.93

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$5.83 MYR 23.38

32.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.50 MYR 1.99

90.00%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$34.7K MYR 139.2K

-47.79%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$31.4K MYR 125.7K

-15.54%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$43.93 MYR 176

87.23%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$5.12 MYR 20.53

85.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$18.25 MYR 73.2

32.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$23.20 MYR 93.1

11.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$5.79 MYR 23.20

228.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.09 MYR 12.40

27.18%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$190 MYR 762

62.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$6,990 MYR 28.0K

-14.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$61.0 MYR 245

-3.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$27.04 MYR 108

19.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$72.0 MYR 289

42.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$50.2 MYR 201

116.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$384 MYR 1,540

23.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$271 MYR 1,085

40.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$650 MYR 2,606

28.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$464 MYR 1,863

55.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,217 MYR 8,890

25.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$869 MYR 3,484

39.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$511 MYR 2,048

0.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.25

216.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sibu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $384 in Sibu. 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 0% 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 $8.00 in Sibu. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $249 in Sibu – 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 Sibu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 23%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,232 in Sibu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sibu, 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 $8.00 in Sibu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $821 in Sibu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sibu, where all-in costs run around $821, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Sibu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sibu – 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 Sibu. 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.