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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $864 in Tawau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,314 in Tawau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,763 in Tawau, rent included.

Medellin costs about 19% more than Tawau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Tawau are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tawau 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.49 MYR 14.18

71.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$18.57 MYR 75.5

76.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$4.11 MYR 16.70

80.54%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.32 MYR 9.44

-28.88%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.73 MYR 2.96

46.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.37 MYR 1.50

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$2.37 MYR 9.63

-27.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.26 MYR 13.26

-1.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.56 MYR 6.34

-32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.37 MYR 5.56

-4.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.74 MYR 7.06

-22.99%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.13 MYR 8.68

2.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$14.96 MYR 60.8

-70.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$4.43 MYR 18.00

28.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$9.45 MYR 38.41

-9.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.91 MYR 11.82

-19.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.46 MYR 5.94

-23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.48 MYR 10.07

-38.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.44 MYR 5.85

-4.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.23 MYR 4.99

-6.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.26 MYR 5.14

-6.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.04 MYR 4.23

-19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.52 MYR 2.11

65.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$4.18 MYR 17.01

-45.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$19.33 MYR 78.6

-39.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.88 MYR 11.69

-58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.88 MYR 11.72

-13.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.70 MYR 2.83

12.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$11.64 MYR 47.30

250.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.21 MYR 4.94

21.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.03 MYR 4.20

86.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$6.06 MYR 24.63

28.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.46 MYR 1.87

119.57%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$35.1K MYR 142.7K

-49.69%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$31.6K MYR 128.3K

-16.18%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$43.14 MYR 175

87.99%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$9.33 MYR 37.95

1.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$29.44 MYR 120

-18.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$36.66 MYR 149

-29.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$5.96 MYR 24.23

213.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$2.75 MYR 11.18

48.73%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$191 MYR 776

64.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$6,830 MYR 27.8K

-11.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$60.0 MYR 244

-0.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$27.79 MYR 113

15.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$71.7 MYR 291

41.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$50.7 MYR 206

107.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$390 MYR 1,586

24.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$272 MYR 1,106

34.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$637 MYR 2,591

29.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$466 MYR 1,896

56.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,845 MYR 7,498

62.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$844 MYR 3,432

55.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$426 MYR 1,732

29.30%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Tawau: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $390 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 29% 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 – $190 in Medellin vs $256 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 19%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,297 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $864 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 $864, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.