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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $986 per month in Sarawak vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,450 per month in Sarawak vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Sarawak vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Sarawak is about 40% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Sarawak sits 29% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.19

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-53.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.47 MYR 79.2

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-59.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 MYR 19.96

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-47.88%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.22

$2.94 COP 9,040

2.04%

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

$0.82 MYR 3.36

$1.86 COP 5,735

-55.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.61

$1.46 COP 4,479

-73.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.77

$3.21 COP 9,882

13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.46

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-20.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.40

$1.44 COP 4,428

26.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$2.40 COP 7,389

-55.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.70 COP 5,228

-11.18%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.54

$2.89 COP 8,896

-35.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 MYR 53.6

$10.06 COP 30.9K

30.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 MYR 17.84

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-55.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 MYR 39.85

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-31.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 MYR 13.26

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-18.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.18

$1.58 COP 4,878

11.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.81

$2.15 COP 6,624

12.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.74

$2.30 COP 7,078

-27.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$2.00 COP 6,169

-34.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$1.51 COP 4,646

-22.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$1.20 COP 3,701

0.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$1.28 COP 3,946

-56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MYR 17.89

$3.84 COP 11.8K

14.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.47 MYR 79.2

$14.01 COP 43.1K

38.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.29

$1.71 COP 5,256

76.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MYR 14.97

$2.74 COP 8,440

34.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$1.25 COP 3,834

-42.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.50 MYR 50.9

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-83.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.31 COP 4,016

-8.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$2.17 COP 6,680

-77.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 MYR 29.77

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-11.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.96

$1.36 COP 4,172

-46.32%

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

$42.2K MYR 171.7K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

53.62%

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

$35.7K MYR 145.3K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-2.22%

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

$49.33 MYR 201

$169 COP 519.2K

-70.76%

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

$9.93 MYR 40.41

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-26.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.50 MYR 116

$28.32 COP 87.2K

0.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.37 MYR 164

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-11.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.50 MYR 26.45

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-62.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MYR 20.13

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-25.56%

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

$177 MYR 718

$803 COP 2.5M

-78.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-46.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 249

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-29.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.90 MYR 146

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-39.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 MYR 330

$139 COP 427.5K

-41.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 MYR 282

$102 COP 314.0K

-32.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MYR 1,716

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-60.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 MYR 1,334

$653 COP 2.0M

-49.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,883

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-63.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 MYR 2,007

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-52.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,086 MYR 8,485

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-49.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,123 MYR 4,567

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-33.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 MYR 1,397

$655 COP 2.0M

-47.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

10.94

-61.61%

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

Last update for Sarawak: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Sarawak versus $1,071 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 91% 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 $19.00 in Sarawak versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $300 – making Sarawak the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 66%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,479 per month in Sarawak and $2,462 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 $48.00 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 $986 in Sarawak and $1,641 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 $986, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.