Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tawau Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tawau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $858 in Tawau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,306 in Tawau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,754 in Tawau, rent included.

Medellin costs about 17% more than Tawau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Tawau are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Tawau 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.59 MYR 14.67

64.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.9K

$18.61 MYR 76.0

77.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.04 MYR 16.48

83.91%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,211

$2.26 MYR 9.24

-26.99%

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

$1.10 COP 3,471

$0.72 MYR 2.93

52.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,460

$0.36 MYR 1.49

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,416

$2.41 MYR 9.83

-28.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.28 MYR 13.41

-3.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,477

$1.53 MYR 6.23

-28.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,965

$1.32 MYR 5.37

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,353

$1.68 MYR 6.87

-17.86%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,864

$2.06 MYR 8.41

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.2K

$14.84 MYR 60.6

-69.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.3K

$4.45 MYR 18.18

30.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.3K

$9.15 MYR 37.37

-1.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,314

$2.93 MYR 11.98

-20.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,355

$1.53 MYR 6.23

-30.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,778

$2.48 MYR 10.15

-38.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,273

$1.42 MYR 5.81

-4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,555

$1.23 MYR 5.04

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,692

$1.28 MYR 5.21

-8.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,840

$1.00 MYR 4.07

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,826

$0.52 MYR 2.14

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,039

$4.27 MYR 17.43

-47.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$18.31 MYR 74.8

-33.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,746

$2.76 MYR 11.27

-56.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,822

$2.90 MYR 11.84

-14.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,690

$0.70 MYR 2.84

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.1K

$11.94 MYR 48.75

248.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,462

$1.20 MYR 4.92

18.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,146

$0.99 MYR 4.06

96.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.98 MYR 24.42

31.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,121

$0.50 MYR 2.05

98.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.5M

$34.7K MYR 141.6K

-49.24%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$31.6K MYR 129.2K

-15.29%

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

$83.0 COP 261.6K

$44.32 MYR 181

87.30%

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

$9.70 COP 30.6K

$8.87 MYR 36.23

9.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$28.77 MYR 117

-18.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.6K

$36.32 MYR 148

-30.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

$5.78 MYR 23.60

230.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.78 MYR 11.36

42.09%

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

$316 COP 995.1K

$186 MYR 758

70.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,797 MYR 27.8K

-12.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 189.1K

$60.0 MYR 245

0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.3K

$26.87 MYR 110

18.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.4K

$71.9 MYR 294

41.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.6K

$50.4 MYR 206

113.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$392 MYR 1,601

21.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$272 MYR 1,110

37.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$649 MYR 2,652

30.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$468 MYR 1,911

53.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,253 MYR 9,198

44.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,247 MYR 5,092

15.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$420 MYR 1,716

48.60%

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 Tawau: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $392 in Tawau. 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 49% 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 Tawau. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $251 in Tawau – 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 Tawau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,287 in Tawau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tawau, 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 Tawau. 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 $858 in Tawau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tawau, where all-in costs run around $858, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Tawau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tawau – 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 Tawau. 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.