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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $821 per month in Sibu vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,237 per month in Sibu vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,653 per month in Sibu vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Sibu is about 19% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sibu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sibu 39% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 MYR 8.43

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-64.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.41 MYR 33.74

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-74.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 MYR 16.03

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-43.58%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MYR 8.52

$1.71 COP 6,093

24.56%

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

$0.60 MYR 2.39

$1.10 COP 3,910

-45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MYR 0.92

$0.78 COP 2,771

-70.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 MYR 11.40

$1.68 COP 5,976

69.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 MYR 19.86

$3.07 COP 10.9K

61.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MYR 5.56

$1.09 COP 3,892

27.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 MYR 5.32

$1.26 COP 4,492

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.81

$1.38 COP 4,905

-13.04%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.22

$2.19 COP 7,799

-29.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 MYR 59.9

$4.40 COP 15.7K

239.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MYR 18.77

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-16.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 MYR 23.78

$8.89 COP 31.6K

-33.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.20

$2.34 COP 8,319

29.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.83

$1.06 COP 3,764

14.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.50

$1.50 COP 5,355

24.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 13.95

$1.38 COP 4,906

152.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.00

$1.15 COP 4,097

8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 MYR 9.27

$1.16 COP 4,141

99.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 3.99

$0.89 COP 3,170

11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MYR 4.83

$0.84 COP 2,986

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 MYR 15.81

$2.28 COP 8,116

72.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 MYR 72.3

$10.64 COP 37.9K

69.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MYR 4.88

$1.20 COP 4,268

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 MYR 16.41

$2.47 COP 8,793

65.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.92

$0.86 COP 3,045

-15.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 47.46

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-71.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.80

$1.47 COP 5,245

-18.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.93

$1.96 COP 6,984

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MYR 23.38

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-24.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.95 COP 3,397

-47.37%

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

$34.7K MYR 139.2K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

91.52%

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

$31.4K MYR 125.7K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

18.40%

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

$43.93 MYR 176

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-46.59%

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

$5.12 MYR 20.53

$9.50 COP 33.8K

-46.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.25 MYR 73.2

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-24.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 MYR 93.1

$25.89 COP 92.1K

-10.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.20

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-69.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 MYR 12.40

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-21.37%

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

$190 MYR 762

$309 COP 1.1M

-38.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,990 MYR 28.0K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

17.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 MYR 245

$58.7 COP 208.7K

3.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.04 MYR 108

$32.35 COP 115.1K

-16.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 MYR 289

$103 COP 365.1K

-29.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 MYR 201

$108 COP 385.8K

-53.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,540

$476 COP 1.7M

-19.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,085

$379 COP 1.3M

-28.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,606

$838 COP 3.0M

-22.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,863

$724 COP 2.6M

-35.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,217 MYR 8,890

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-20.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$869 MYR 3,484

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-28.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$511 MYR 2,048

$512 COP 1.8M

-0.20%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $384 in Sibu 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 0% 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 $8.00 in Sibu versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Sibu vs $188 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 23%, 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 $1,232 per month in Sibu and $1,519 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 $8.00 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 $821 in Sibu and $1,013 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 $821, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.