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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $910 per month in Sarawak vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,313 per month in Sarawak vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,716 per month in Sarawak vs $2,200 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 32% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 MYR 14.59

$5.93 COP 19.1K

-39.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.74 MYR 76.6

$33.12 COP 106.6K

-43.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 MYR 21.32

$7.12 COP 22.9K

-26.83%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.43

$1.71 COP 5,487

63.16%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$1.05 COP 3,374

-24.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.72 COP 2,324

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.67 MYR 31.38

$1.72 COP 5,531

345.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.42 MYR 34.42

$3.17 COP 10.2K

165.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.43

$1.06 COP 3,426

71.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.08

$1.31 COP 4,215

-23.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.13

$1.33 COP 4,279

-6.02%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.73

$2.28 COP 7,338

-6.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.7

$4.42 COP 14.2K

235.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.49

$5.92 COP 19.0K

-56.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 MYR 38.80

$8.64 COP 27.8K

9.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.80

$2.34 COP 7,545

23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.26

$1.10 COP 3,546

39.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 10.23

$1.47 COP 4,724

70.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.61

$1.38 COP 4,439

-0.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.17 COP 3,774

5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$1.17 COP 3,765

12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 4.07

$0.90 COP 2,905

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$0.84 COP 2,708

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 17.09

$2.33 COP 7,490

79.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.95 MYR 69.3

$11.92 COP 38.3K

42.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.51

$1.15 COP 3,693

144.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 MYR 12.42

$2.42 COP 7,791

25.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.84 COP 2,702

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.74 MYR 48.00

$40.83 COP 131.4K

-71.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.41 COP 4,541

-14.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.91 COP 6,160

-46.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MYR 24.04

$7.83 COP 25.2K

-24.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$0.94 COP 3,037

-46.81%

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

$35.1K MYR 143.6K

$17.8K COP 57.3M

97.00%

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

$31.9K MYR 130.6K

$27.1K COP 87.1M

17.93%

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

$43.10 MYR 176

$83.3 COP 267.9K

-48.23%

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

$8.86 MYR 36.24

$9.66 COP 31.1K

-8.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.05 MYR 119

$24.22 COP 77.9K

19.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 MYR 152

$25.22 COP 81.2K

46.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 MYR 24.69

$19.33 COP 62.2K

-68.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MYR 20.38

$4.07 COP 13.1K

22.36%

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

$189 MYR 771

$307 COP 986.5K

-38.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,901 MYR 28.2K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

15.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.25 MYR 148

$60.0 COP 192.9K

-39.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 MYR 159

$32.65 COP 105.1K

18.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 MYR 319

$101 COP 325.2K

-22.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 MYR 229

$108 COP 347.6K

-48.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 MYR 1,347

$476 COP 1.5M

-30.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,116

$379 COP 1.2M

-27.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,038

$816 COP 2.6M

-38.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 MYR 1,455

$707 COP 2.3M

-49.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,076 MYR 8,489

$3,190 COP 10.3M

-34.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,136 MYR 4,646

$1,446 COP 4.7M

-21.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$417 MYR 1,706

$622 COP 2.0M

-32.91%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $329 in Sarawak versus $476 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 49% 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 – $240 in Sarawak vs $192 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 12%, 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 $1,527 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 $910 in Sarawak and $1,018 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 $910, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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.