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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $951 per month in Tawau vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Tawau vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,847 per month in Tawau vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Tawau is about 43% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Tawau sits 30% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 MYR 12.70

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-61.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.83 MYR 81.0

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-58.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 MYR 16.74

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-58.54%

Cappuccino

$3.07 MYR 12.53

$3.13 COP 9,767

-1.92%

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

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.91 COP 5,954

-46.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.56

$1.51 COP 4,712

-74.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 MYR 10.81

$3.12 COP 9,747

-15.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 MYR 17.79

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-24.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.64

$1.44 COP 4,509

29.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 MYR 4.65

$2.49 COP 7,759

-54.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.10

$1.77 COP 5,535

-15.82%

Eggs

$2.00 MYR 8.17

$2.96 COP 9,235

-32.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.78 MYR 56.3

$10.07 COP 31.4K

36.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 MYR 18.33

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-55.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 MYR 40.18

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-31.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.91

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-29.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.28

$1.61 COP 5,019

10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 MYR 8.85

$2.25 COP 7,007

-3.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$2.25 COP 7,028

-17.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$2.04 COP 6,375

-41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.54 COP 4,790

-33.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 MYR 5.42

$1.17 COP 3,651

13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.30

$1.31 COP 4,077

-57.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 MYR 18.17

$3.90 COP 12.2K

14.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.95 MYR 77.4

$14.01 COP 43.7K

35.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.82

$1.74 COP 5,439

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 MYR 13.81

$2.87 COP 8,956

17.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$1.22 COP 3,792

-36.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 MYR 46.74

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-85.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$1.31 COP 4,084

-9.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$2.19 COP 6,825

-77.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 MYR 32.64

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-8.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.97

$1.37 COP 4,260

-46.72%

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

$41.5K MYR 169.5K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

49.12%

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

$34.2K MYR 139.6K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-4.40%

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

$51.0 MYR 208

$177 COP 553.2K

-71.25%

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

$10.52 MYR 42.93

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-24.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.28 MYR 115

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-4.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.62 MYR 174

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-5.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.38 MYR 30.12

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-56.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 MYR 14.77

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-45.56%

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

$181 MYR 740

$813 COP 2.5M

-77.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,615 MYR 22.9K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-38.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 MYR 212

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-41.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.14 MYR 123

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-48.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 MYR 379

$138 COP 431.2K

-32.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 MYR 273

$102 COP 318.7K

-34.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,558

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-64.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 MYR 1,167

$663 COP 2.1M

-56.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 MYR 3,032

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-60.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 MYR 2,184

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-47.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,277 MYR 9,295

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-45.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MYR 4,917

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-28.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$416 MYR 1,697

$678 COP 2.1M

-38.67%

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 Tawau: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Tawau 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 63% 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 Tawau versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $305 – making Tawau 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

Tawau vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 77%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,427 per month in Tawau 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 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 $20.00 in Tawau 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 $951 in Tawau 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 Tawau, where all-in costs run around $951, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.