Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $865 per month in Tawau vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,320 per month in Tawau vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,776 per month in Tawau vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Tawau is about 15% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tawau and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tawau 36% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.72

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-38.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 MYR 75.7

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-44.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 MYR 16.46

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-43.85%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 9.03

$1.63 COP 5,687

36.81%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$1.09 COP 3,821

-29.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.62

$0.73 COP 2,548

-45.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MYR 9.29

$1.74 COP 6,065

31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.75

$3.23 COP 11.3K

4.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MYR 6.49

$1.05 COP 3,662

52.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 MYR 5.30

$1.29 COP 4,515

1.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.83

$1.32 COP 4,617

27.27%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.29

$2.27 COP 7,927

-10.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.2

$4.35 COP 15.2K

241.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 MYR 17.27

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-27.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 MYR 39.33

$8.61 COP 30.0K

12.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.13

$2.25 COP 7,844

32.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.99

$1.07 COP 3,733

38.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.62

$1.52 COP 5,322

72.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.64

$1.42 COP 4,964

-2.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.05

$1.17 COP 4,084

5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.17 COP 4,077

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.89 COP 3,096

12.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.90 COP 3,146

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.02

$2.25 COP 7,837

86.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 MYR 77.5

$11.04 COP 38.5K

73.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 11.17

$1.14 COP 3,977

141.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.82

$2.38 COP 8,301

22.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$0.84 COP 2,916

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-71.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.70

$1.41 COP 4,912

-17.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.21

$1.90 COP 6,634

-45.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 MYR 24.50

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-22.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$1.01 COP 3,509

-51.49%

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

$35.9K MYR 145.8K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

104.47%

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

$31.3K MYR 127.1K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

18.29%

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

$43.00 MYR 174

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-48.61%

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

$8.93 MYR 36.21

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-5.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.39 MYR 119

$24.11 COP 84.1K

21.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.21 MYR 147

$25.31 COP 88.3K

43.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 MYR 23.25

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-70.06%

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 MYR 11.74

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-29.27%

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

$187 MYR 757

$312 COP 1.1M

-40.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,040 MYR 28.5K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

17.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 MYR 242

$58.0 COP 202.6K

2.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.46 MYR 111

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-15.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 298

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-26.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.5 MYR 205

$109 COP 378.8K

-53.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,584

$482 COP 1.7M

-18.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,087

$379 COP 1.3M

-29.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 MYR 2,609

$837 COP 2.9M

-23.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,897

$723 COP 2.5M

-35.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,168 MYR 8,790

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-23.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$985 MYR 3,993

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-19.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 MYR 1,708

$541 COP 1.9M

-22.11%

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 Tawau: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Tawau 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 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 $19.00 in Tawau versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Tawau 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

Tawau vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,298 per month in Tawau 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 Tawau, 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 Tawau 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 $865 in Tawau and $1,017 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 Tawau, where all-in costs run around $865, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Tawau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tawau – 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 Tawau. 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.