Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarawak and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarawak and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $909 per month in Sarawak vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,312 per month in Sarawak vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,714 per month in Sarawak vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Sarawak is about 12% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sarawak and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sarawak 32% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 MYR 13.65

$5.92 COP 21.2K

-41.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 MYR 73.9

$33.17 COP 118.7K

-43.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 MYR 21.37

$7.25 COP 25.9K

-25.38%

Cappuccino

$2.70 MYR 10.66

$1.71 COP 6,137

57.89%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.11

$1.09 COP 3,915

-27.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.77 COP 2,743

-49.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 MYR 30.51

$1.75 COP 6,254

341.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 MYR 32.13

$3.18 COP 11.4K

155.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.06 COP 3,792

68.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.30 COP 4,657

-23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.38 COP 4,926

-10.87%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.08

$2.21 COP 7,908

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.06 MYR 59.5

$4.52 COP 16.2K

233.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.48

$5.80 COP 20.7K

-54.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.60 MYR 37.93

$8.97 COP 32.1K

7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 11.81

$2.29 COP 8,182

30.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.75

$1.06 COP 3,791

37.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.88

$1.51 COP 5,411

65.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.65

$1.36 COP 4,869

5.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.82

$1.16 COP 4,146

5.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.04

$1.17 COP 4,174

9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.09

$0.83 COP 2,960

25.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.47

$0.85 COP 3,043

-25.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.41

$2.35 COP 8,423

77.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.22 MYR 64.1

$11.09 COP 39.7K

46.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.28

$1.15 COP 4,133

148.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 11.74

$2.47 COP 8,853

20.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.87

$0.79 COP 2,827

-7.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 45.65

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-72.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$1.44 COP 5,140

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.90

$1.90 COP 6,793

-47.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 MYR 23.35

$7.70 COP 27.6K

-23.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$1.03 COP 3,680

-51.46%

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

$35.2K MYR 139.1K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

99.09%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

17.40%

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

$42.70 MYR 169

$81.4 COP 291.4K

-47.56%

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

$8.86 MYR 34.99

$9.42 COP 33.7K

-5.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.95 MYR 114

$23.77 COP 85.1K

21.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.04 MYR 146

$25.86 COP 92.6K

43.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.82

$19.34 COP 69.2K

-68.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MYR 19.34

$4.05 COP 14.5K

20.99%

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

$187 MYR 737

$312 COP 1.1M

-40.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,975 MYR 27.6K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

14.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.88 MYR 142

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-39.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 MYR 155

$32.82 COP 117.5K

19.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 MYR 311

$100 COP 359.6K

-21.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 MYR 227

$106 COP 380.3K

-45.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 MYR 1,289

$490 COP 1.8M

-33.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 MYR 1,065

$371 COP 1.3M

-27.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 MYR 1,977

$838 COP 3.0M

-40.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 MYR 1,405

$715 COP 2.6M

-50.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,754 MYR 6,928

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-40.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$886 MYR 3,498

$1,394 COP 5.0M

-36.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 MYR 1,696

$532 COP 1.9M

-19.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

13.43

-69.69%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Sarawak: April 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $326 in Sarawak versus $490 in Medellin. 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 24% 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 $19 in Sarawak versus $33 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Sarawak vs $190 in Medellin – 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

Sarawak vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,364 per month in Sarawak and $1,544 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sarawak, 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 $19.00 in Sarawak and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $909 in Sarawak and $1,030 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarawak, where all-in costs run around $909, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Sarawak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sarawak – 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 Sarawak. 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.