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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $900 per month in Sarawak vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,286 per month in Sarawak vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,673 per month in Sarawak vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Sarawak is about 11% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sarawak and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sarawak 33% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 MYR 14.79

$5.95 COP 21.1K

-38.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.4

$33.33 COP 118.2K

-43.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 MYR 21.46

$7.23 COP 25.7K

-26.97%

Cappuccino

$2.76 MYR 11.23

$1.63 COP 5,779

69.33%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$1.09 COP 3,882

-32.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.73 COP 2,590

-46.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 MYR 32.16

$1.74 COP 6,163

354.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 MYR 33.71

$3.23 COP 11.5K

156.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.69

$1.05 COP 3,721

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.29 COP 4,588

-22.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.23

$1.32 COP 4,692

-2.27%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.28

$2.27 COP 8,055

-10.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.95 MYR 60.8

$4.35 COP 15.4K

243.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.39

$5.88 COP 20.9K

-56.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.35

$8.61 COP 30.5K

12.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.82

$2.25 COP 7,970

29.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.00

$1.07 COP 3,793

38.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.48

$1.52 COP 5,408

69.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.90

$1.42 COP 5,045

2.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.97

$1.17 COP 4,150

4.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.40

$1.17 COP 4,143

13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.09

$0.89 COP 3,146

12.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.73

$0.90 COP 3,197

-25.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.46

$2.25 COP 7,963

90.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MYR 70.9

$11.04 COP 39.2K

57.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.49

$1.14 COP 4,041

147.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.15

$2.38 COP 8,435

25.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$0.84 COP 2,963

-17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.98 MYR 48.71

$41.95 COP 148.8K

-71.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.67

$1.41 COP 4,991

-18.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.99

$1.90 COP 6,742

-48.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 MYR 24.06

$7.75 COP 27.5K

-23.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$1.01 COP 3,566

-51.49%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.1K

$17.6K COP 62.3M

98.71%

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

$31.9K MYR 129.8K

$26.5K COP 94.0M

20.43%

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

$43.20 MYR 176

$83.7 COP 296.8K

-48.37%

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

$8.94 MYR 36.36

$9.45 COP 33.5K

-5.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.23 MYR 119

$24.11 COP 85.5K

21.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.24 MYR 151

$25.31 COP 89.8K

47.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 24.39

$19.14 COP 67.9K

-68.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MYR 20.59

$4.10 COP 14.5K

23.41%

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

$189 MYR 770

$312 COP 1.1M

-39.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,935 MYR 28.2K

$5,993 COP 21.3M

15.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.81 MYR 150

$58.0 COP 205.8K

-36.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.24 MYR 160

$32.56 COP 115.5K

20.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 MYR 313

$99.6 COP 353.3K

-22.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 MYR 228

$109 COP 384.9K

-48.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 MYR 1,317

$482 COP 1.7M

-32.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,095

$379 COP 1.3M

-29.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MYR 2,052

$837 COP 3.0M

-39.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 MYR 1,463

$723 COP 2.6M

-50.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,935 MYR 7,870

$2,840 COP 10.1M

-31.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$973 MYR 3,956

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-20.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 MYR 1,708

$541 COP 1.9M

-22.36%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $324 in Sarawak versus $482 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 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 $19.00 in Sarawak versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 $1,350 per month in Sarawak and $1,525 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 $900 in Sarawak and $1,017 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 $900, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.