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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $868 in Tawau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,322 in Tawau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,776 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

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$3.47 MYR 13.70

70.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$18.87 MYR 74.5

75.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$4.15 MYR 16.41

74.70%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.24 MYR 8.83

-23.66%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.73 MYR 2.89

49.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.36 MYR 1.43

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.34 MYR 9.26

-25.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.24 MYR 12.81

-1.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.53 MYR 6.05

-30.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.37 MYR 5.43

-5.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.67 MYR 6.61

-17.37%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.07 MYR 8.16

6.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$15.18 MYR 60.0

-70.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.23 MYR 16.71

37.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$9.64 MYR 38.06

-6.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.84 MYR 11.20

-19.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.52 MYR 6.02

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$2.52 MYR 9.94

-40.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.38 MYR 5.46

-1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.23 MYR 4.85

-5.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.29 MYR 5.08

-9.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$1.04 MYR 4.10

-20.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.56 MYR 2.23

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$4.35 MYR 17.18

-45.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$19.25 MYR 76.1

-42.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$2.79 MYR 11.00

-58.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.89 MYR 11.42

-14.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.72 MYR 2.85

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$11.88 MYR 46.93

252.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$1.15 MYR 4.55

25.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.02 MYR 4.04

86.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$5.93 MYR 23.44

29.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$0.46 MYR 1.83

123.91%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$35.2K MYR 139.0K

-49.76%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

-14.86%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$43.44 MYR 172

87.43%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$9.23 MYR 36.46

2.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$29.51 MYR 117

-19.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$37.18 MYR 147

-30.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$5.98 MYR 23.61

223.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$2.82 MYR 11.13

43.62%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$184 MYR 727

69.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$6,823 MYR 27.0K

-11.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$61.8 MYR 244

-4.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$27.81 MYR 110

18.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$73.4 MYR 290

36.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$51.5 MYR 203

106.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$393 MYR 1,551

24.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$272 MYR 1,075

36.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$640 MYR 2,529

30.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$465 MYR 1,837

53.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,911 MYR 7,550

54.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$908 MYR 3,586

53.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$434 MYR 1,714

22.57%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tawau: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $393 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 23% 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 in Medellin versus $19 in Tawau. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $255 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,302 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 $1,030 in Medellin and $868 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 $868, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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.