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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $802 in Sibu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,227 in Sibu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,652 in Sibu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Sibu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sibu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Sibu 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$2.16 MYR 8.84

173.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$8.61 MYR 35.20

282.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$4.18 MYR 17.10

77.75%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.08 MYR 8.50

-20.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.63 MYR 2.59

74.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.23 MYR 0.93

239.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.85 MYR 11.65

-39.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$5.08 MYR 20.77

-37.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.39 MYR 5.67

-20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.35 MYR 5.53

-6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.15 MYR 4.70

20.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.53 MYR 6.24

42.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$14.98 MYR 61.2

-70.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$4.67 MYR 19.07

23.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$5.98 MYR 24.42

50.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.99 MYR 12.20

-22.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.16 MYR 4.75

-8.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.93 MYR 7.87

-21.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$3.50 MYR 14.29

-61.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.19 MYR 4.86

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$2.33 MYR 9.54

-49.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.05 MYR 4.28

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$1.20 MYR 4.89

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$4.06 MYR 16.58

-45.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$19.77 MYR 80.8

-38.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.22 MYR 5.00

-2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$3.90 MYR 15.96

-36.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.72 MYR 2.96

18.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$11.95 MYR 48.84

248.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.21 MYR 4.94

17.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.99 MYR 4.06

96.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$5.80 MYR 23.70

36.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.47 MYR 1.90

110.64%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$35.5K MYR 145.1K

-50.42%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$31.8K MYR 129.9K

-15.66%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$42.92 MYR 175

93.41%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$5.16 MYR 21.11

87.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$18.36 MYR 75.1

28.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$22.98 MYR 93.9

9.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$5.80 MYR 23.69

229.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$3.22 MYR 13.17

22.67%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$185 MYR 756

70.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$6,983 MYR 28.5K

-14.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$60.4 MYR 247

-0.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$27.03 MYR 110

17.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$71.7 MYR 293

41.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$49.94 MYR 204

115.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$392 MYR 1,603

21.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$269 MYR 1,097

39.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$653 MYR 2,670

29.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$465 MYR 1,899

54.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$2,325 MYR 9,502

40.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,259 MYR 5,145

14.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$489 MYR 1,998

27.72%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sibu: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $392 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 28% 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 $9.00 in Sibu. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $252 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 25%, 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 $1,204 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 $9.00 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $802 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 $802, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.