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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $884 in Sibu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,308 in Sibu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,733 in Sibu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 90% more than Sibu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sibu is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.18 MYR 8.91

267.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$19.54 MYR 79.8

144.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.20 MYR 17.16

135.48%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.36 MYR 9.65

32.63%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.67 MYR 2.73

185.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.24 MYR 0.98

529.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$3.02 MYR 12.32

3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.30 MYR 17.55

33.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.77 MYR 7.23

-18.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.84 MYR 3.41

196.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.31 MYR 5.34

35.11%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.97 MYR 8.06

50.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$15.04 MYR 61.4

-33.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.22 MYR 17.22

139.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.14 MYR 41.40

41.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.24 MYR 13.24

27.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.84 MYR 7.53

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.74 MYR 11.18

-17.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.50 MYR 6.13

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.26 MYR 5.12

61.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.20 MYR 4.90

28.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.08 MYR 4.41

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.50 MYR 2.05

162.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.52 MYR 18.45

-13.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$20.54 MYR 83.9

-31.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.00 MYR 12.23

-42.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.66 MYR 14.93

-21.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.66 MYR 2.69

84.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$14.00 MYR 57.2

474.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.31 MYR 5.33

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.44 MYR 1.80

397.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$8.43 MYR 34.41

3.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.66 MYR 2.71

107.58%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

-22.65%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$35.2K MYR 143.8K

1.58%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$49.25 MYR 201

260.00%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$7.19 MYR 29.34

93.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$26.77 MYR 109

11.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$27.76 MYR 113

61.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$6.44 MYR 26.30

165.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.65 MYR 14.89

82.19%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$180 MYR 735

351.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$4,923 MYR 20.1K

86.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$61.3 MYR 250

45.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$36.18 MYR 148

62.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$93.0 MYR 380

48.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$69.4 MYR 283

47.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$416 MYR 1,696

155.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$359 MYR 1,466

84.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$784 MYR 3,201

140.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$449 MYR 1,832

128.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,916 MYR 7,822

118.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,147 MYR 4,682

46.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$499 MYR 2,037

35.80%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Sibu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $416 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 36% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Sibu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $261 – making Sibu 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 Sibu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 90%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,325 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $20.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $884 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 $884, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.