Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $802 per month in Sibu vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,227 per month in Sibu vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,652 per month in Sibu vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Sibu is about 20% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sibu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sibu 40% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 MYR 8.84

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-63.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.61 MYR 35.20

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-73.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 17.10

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-43.74%

Cappuccino

$2.08 MYR 8.50

$1.65 COP 5,276

26.06%

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

$0.63 MYR 2.59

$1.10 COP 3,514

-42.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MYR 0.93

$0.78 COP 2,491

-70.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 MYR 11.65

$1.72 COP 5,484

65.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.77

$3.18 COP 10.1K

59.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MYR 5.67

$1.10 COP 3,521

26.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 MYR 5.53

$1.26 COP 4,015

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$1.38 COP 4,407

-16.67%

Eggs

$1.53 MYR 6.24

$2.18 COP 6,950

-29.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.98 MYR 61.2

$4.49 COP 14.3K

233.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 MYR 19.07

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-19.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.98 MYR 24.42

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.20

$2.32 COP 7,405

28.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$1.06 COP 3,397

9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$1.52 COP 4,838

26.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.29

$1.36 COP 4,327

157.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$1.13 COP 3,599

5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 MYR 9.54

$1.17 COP 3,738

99.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$0.90 COP 2,876

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$0.90 COP 2,861

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MYR 16.58

$2.23 COP 7,128

82.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.77 MYR 80.8

$12.12 COP 38.7K

63.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$1.19 COP 3,793

2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 MYR 15.96

$2.48 COP 7,920

57.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.85 COP 2,723

-15.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 48.84

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-71.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.94

$1.42 COP 4,518

-14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$1.95 COP 6,223

-49.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MYR 23.70

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-26.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.99 COP 3,160

-52.53%

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

$35.5K MYR 145.1K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

101.69%

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

$31.8K MYR 129.9K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

18.57%

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

$42.92 MYR 175

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-48.30%

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

$5.16 MYR 21.11

$9.70 COP 30.9K

-46.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.36 MYR 75.1

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-21.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.98 MYR 93.9

$25.26 COP 80.6K

-9.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 23.69

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-69.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.22 MYR 13.17

$3.95 COP 12.6K

-18.48%

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

$185 MYR 756

$316 COP 1.0M

-41.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,983 MYR 28.5K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

16.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 MYR 247

$60.0 COP 191.4K

0.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.03 MYR 110

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-15.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 MYR 293

$102 COP 324.4K

-29.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.94 MYR 204

$107 COP 342.8K

-53.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,603

$475 COP 1.5M

-17.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,097

$374 COP 1.2M

-28.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 MYR 2,670

$849 COP 2.7M

-23.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,899

$719 COP 2.3M

-35.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,325 MYR 9,502

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-28.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,259 MYR 5,145

$1,441 COP 4.6M

-12.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$489 MYR 1,998

$624 COP 2.0M

-21.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

13.43

-68.35%

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

Last update for Sibu: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Sibu versus $475 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 28% 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 $9.00 in Sibu versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Sibu vs $193 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

Sibu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,204 per month in Sibu and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sibu, 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 $9.00 in Sibu 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 $802 in Sibu and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sibu, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Sibu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sibu – 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 Sibu. 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.