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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $868 per month in Tawau vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,322 per month in Tawau vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,776 per month in Tawau vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Tawau is about 16% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tawau and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tawau 35% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.70

$5.92 COP 21.2K

-41.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.87 MYR 74.5

$33.17 COP 118.7K

-43.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.41

$7.25 COP 25.9K

-42.76%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 8.83

$1.71 COP 6,137

30.99%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$1.09 COP 3,915

-33.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.77 COP 2,743

-53.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 MYR 9.26

$1.75 COP 6,254

33.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 12.81

$3.18 COP 11.4K

1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MYR 6.05

$1.06 COP 3,792

44.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.43

$1.30 COP 4,657

5.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.61

$1.38 COP 4,926

21.01%

Eggs

$2.07 MYR 8.16

$2.21 COP 7,908

-6.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.18 MYR 60.0

$4.52 COP 16.2K

235.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 MYR 16.71

$5.80 COP 20.7K

-27.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 MYR 38.06

$8.97 COP 32.1K

7.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.20

$2.29 COP 8,182

24.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$1.06 COP 3,791

43.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 9.94

$1.51 COP 5,411

66.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$1.36 COP 4,869

1.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.85

$1.16 COP 4,146

6.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.08

$1.17 COP 4,174

10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$0.83 COP 2,960

25.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.85 COP 3,043

-34.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.18

$2.35 COP 8,423

85.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.25 MYR 76.1

$11.09 COP 39.7K

73.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.00

$1.15 COP 4,133

142.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 MYR 11.42

$2.47 COP 8,853

17.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.79 COP 2,827

-8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.88 MYR 46.93

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-71.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$1.44 COP 5,140

-20.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$1.90 COP 6,793

-46.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 MYR 23.44

$7.70 COP 27.6K

-22.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$1.03 COP 3,680

-55.34%

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

$35.2K MYR 139.0K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

99.06%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

17.45%

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

$43.44 MYR 172

$81.4 COP 291.4K

-46.65%

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

$9.23 MYR 36.46

$9.42 COP 33.7K

-2.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.51 MYR 117

$23.77 COP 85.1K

24.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 MYR 147

$25.86 COP 92.6K

43.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 MYR 23.61

$19.34 COP 69.2K

-69.08%

Cinema Ticket

$2.82 MYR 11.13

$4.05 COP 14.5K

-30.37%

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

$184 MYR 727

$312 COP 1.1M

-41.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,823 MYR 27.0K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

12.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MYR 244

$58.9 COP 210.7K

4.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 MYR 110

$32.82 COP 117.5K

-15.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 MYR 290

$100 COP 359.6K

-26.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.5 MYR 203

$106 COP 380.3K

-51.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,551

$490 COP 1.8M

-19.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,075

$371 COP 1.3M

-26.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,529

$838 COP 3.0M

-23.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,837

$715 COP 2.6M

-34.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,911 MYR 7,550

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-35.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$908 MYR 3,586

$1,394 COP 5.0M

-34.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$434 MYR 1,714

$532 COP 1.9M

-18.42%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Tawau versus $490 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 23% 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 in Tawau versus $33 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 19%, 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 $1,302 per month in Tawau and $1,544 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 $868 in Tawau and $1,030 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 $868, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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.