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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $884 per month in Sibu vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,308 per month in Sibu vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,733 per month in Sibu vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Sibu is about 47% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sibu sits 35% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 MYR 8.91

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-72.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.54 MYR 79.8

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-59.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 MYR 17.16

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-57.53%

Cappuccino

$2.36 MYR 9.65

$3.13 COP 9,767

-24.60%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.73

$1.91 COP 5,954

-64.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 MYR 0.98

$1.51 COP 4,712

-84.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 MYR 12.32

$3.12 COP 9,747

-3.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.55

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-25.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.44 COP 4,509

22.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$2.49 COP 7,759

-66.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$1.77 COP 5,535

-25.99%

Eggs

$1.97 MYR 8.06

$2.96 COP 9,235

-33.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.04 MYR 61.4

$10.07 COP 31.4K

49.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 MYR 17.22

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-58.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 MYR 41.40

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-29.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 MYR 13.24

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-21.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.53

$1.61 COP 5,019

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 11.18

$2.25 COP 7,007

21.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.13

$2.25 COP 7,028

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$2.04 COP 6,375

-38.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.54 COP 4,790

-22.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.41

$1.17 COP 3,651

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.31 COP 4,077

-61.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 MYR 18.45

$3.90 COP 12.2K

15.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.54 MYR 83.9

$14.01 COP 43.7K

46.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.23

$1.74 COP 5,439

72.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 MYR 14.93

$2.87 COP 8,956

27.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MYR 2.69

$1.22 COP 3,792

-45.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.00 MYR 57.2

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-82.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 MYR 5.33

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.80

$2.19 COP 6,825

-79.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.43 MYR 34.41

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-3.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$1.37 COP 4,260

-51.82%

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

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

29.28%

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

$35.2K MYR 143.8K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-1.56%

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

$49.25 MYR 201

$177 COP 553.2K

-72.22%

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

$7.19 MYR 29.34

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-48.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.77 MYR 109

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-9.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.76 MYR 113

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-38.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.44 MYR 26.30

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-62.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.65 MYR 14.89

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-45.11%

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

$180 MYR 735

$813 COP 2.5M

-77.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,923 MYR 20.1K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-46.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 250

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-31.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 MYR 148

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-38.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 MYR 380

$138 COP 431.2K

-32.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 MYR 283

$102 COP 318.7K

-32.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$416 MYR 1,696

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-60.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 MYR 1,466

$663 COP 2.1M

-45.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 MYR 3,201

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-58.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 MYR 1,832

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-56.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,916 MYR 7,822

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-54.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,147 MYR 4,682

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-31.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$499 MYR 2,037

$678 COP 2.1M

-26.36%

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 Sibu: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $416 in Sibu versus $1,062 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 36% 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 $20.00 in Sibu versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $305 – making Sibu 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

Sibu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 90%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,325 per month in Sibu and $2,521 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 $20.00 in Sibu 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 $884 in Sibu and $1,681 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 $884, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.