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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $858 per month in Tawau vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,306 per month in Tawau vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Tawau vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Tawau is about 14% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tawau and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tawau 36% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.67

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-39.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.61 MYR 76.0

$32.96 COP 103.9K

-43.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 MYR 16.48

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-45.63%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 9.24

$1.65 COP 5,211

36.97%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$1.10 COP 3,471

-34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.49

$0.78 COP 2,460

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 MYR 9.83

$1.72 COP 5,416

40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 MYR 13.41

$3.18 COP 10.0K

3.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MYR 6.23

$1.10 COP 3,477

39.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.26 COP 3,965

4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$1.38 COP 4,353

21.74%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.41

$2.18 COP 6,864

-5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.6

$4.49 COP 14.2K

230.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.18

$5.79 COP 18.3K

-23.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 MYR 37.37

$8.97 COP 28.3K

2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.98

$2.32 COP 7,314

26.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.23

$1.06 COP 3,355

44.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.15

$1.52 COP 4,778

63.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.81

$1.36 COP 4,273

4.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.04

$1.13 COP 3,555

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.21

$1.17 COP 3,692

9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.90 COP 2,840

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.14

$0.90 COP 2,826

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.43

$2.23 COP 7,039

91.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.31 MYR 74.8

$12.12 COP 38.2K

51.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.27

$1.19 COP 3,746

131.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.84

$2.48 COP 7,822

16.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.85 COP 2,690

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.94 MYR 48.75

$41.62 COP 131.1K

-71.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.42 COP 4,462

-15.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$1.95 COP 6,146

-49.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MYR 24.42

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-24.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.99 COP 3,121

-49.49%

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

$34.7K MYR 141.6K

$17.6K COP 55.5M

97.01%

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

$31.6K MYR 129.2K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

18.05%

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

$44.32 MYR 181

$83.0 COP 261.6K

-46.61%

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

$8.87 MYR 36.23

$9.70 COP 30.6K

-8.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.77 MYR 117

$23.52 COP 74.1K

22.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.32 MYR 148

$25.26 COP 79.6K

43.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 23.60

$19.10 COP 60.2K

-69.74%

Cinema Ticket

$2.78 MYR 11.36

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-29.62%

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

$186 MYR 758

$316 COP 995.1K

-41.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,797 MYR 27.8K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

13.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 245

$60.0 COP 189.1K

-0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.87 MYR 110

$31.82 COP 100.3K

-15.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 MYR 294

$102 COP 320.4K

-29.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.4 MYR 206

$107 COP 338.6K

-53.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,601

$475 COP 1.5M

-17.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,110

$374 COP 1.2M

-27.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 MYR 2,652

$849 COP 2.7M

-23.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,911

$719 COP 2.3M

-34.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,253 MYR 9,198

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-31.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,247 MYR 5,092

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-13.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 MYR 1,716

$624 COP 2.0M

-32.71%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Tawau 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 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 Tawau versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Tawau 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

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 $1,287 per month in Tawau 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 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 $858 in Tawau 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 Tawau, where all-in costs run around $858, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.