Cost of Living Comparison Between Albay and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Albay and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $731 in Albay versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,100 in Albay versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,470 in Albay versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Albay costs roughly 55% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Albay is 47% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 ₱228

$8.04 COP 25.0K

-54.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.73 ₱1,043

$48.29 COP 149.9K

-65.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.77 ₱172

$9.42 COP 29.3K

-70.59%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ₱134

$2.94 COP 9,120

-26.87%

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

$0.59 ₱36.49

$1.86 COP 5,786

-68.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₱19.77

$1.46 COP 4,519

-78.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₱67.9

$3.21 COP 9,969

-66.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₱116

$5.71 COP 17.7K

-67.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₱105

$1.44 COP 4,467

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱69.9

$2.40 COP 7,454

-53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱56.9

$1.70 COP 5,274

-46.47%

Eggs

$1.94 ₱121

$2.89 COP 8,975

-32.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.31 ₱331

$10.06 COP 31.2K

-47.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 ₱259

$9.97 COP 31.0K

-58.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.34 ₱458

$14.20 COP 44.1K

-48.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₱143

$3.98 COP 12.4K

-42.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₱97.7

$1.58 COP 4,921

-0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 ₱147

$2.15 COP 6,682

9.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₱70.7

$2.30 COP 7,141

-50.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 ₱132

$2.00 COP 6,223

6.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 ₱126

$1.51 COP 4,687

33.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₱48.91

$1.20 COP 3,734

-35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.69

$1.28 COP 3,981

-59.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₱180

$3.84 COP 11.9K

-24.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 ₱510

$14.01 COP 43.5K

-41.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₱60.9

$1.71 COP 5,302

-42.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱125

$2.74 COP 8,515

-26.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱16.86

$1.25 COP 3,868

-78.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.14 ₱695

$77.9 COP 241.9K

-85.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.58

$1.31 COP 4,052

-40.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.67

$2.17 COP 6,739

-88.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱118

$8.29 COP 25.8K

-77.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱70.2

$1.36 COP 4,209

-16.91%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$27.5K COP 85.3M

-20.62%

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

$19.5K ₱1.2M

$36.5K COP 113.4M

-46.60%

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

$122 ₱7,636

$169 COP 523.8K

-27.42%

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

$15.25 ₱951

$13.57 COP 42.1K

12.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 ₱1,533

$28.32 COP 87.9K

-13.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.78 ₱1,982

$45.71 COP 141.9K

-30.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.76 ₱297

$17.22 COP 53.5K

-72.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.28 ₱329

$6.65 COP 20.6K

-20.60%

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

$135 ₱8,447

$803 COP 2.5M

-83.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,000 ₱498.9K

$9,190 COP 28.5M

-12.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.79 ₱2,045

$87.4 COP 271.2K

-62.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.93 ₱1,243

$59.4 COP 184.3K

-66.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 ₱4,487

$139 COP 431.3K

-48.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 ₱3,532

$102 COP 316.8K

-44.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.8K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-74.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₱10.8K

$653 COP 2.0M

-73.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 ₱30.7K

$1,925 COP 6.0M

-74.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₱22.2K

$1,048 COP 3.3M

-66.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,618 ₱163.3K

$4,123 COP 12.8M

-36.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 ₱63.9K

$1,697 COP 5.3M

-39.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 ₱10.3K

$655 COP 2.0M

-74.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

10.94

-38.30%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Albay: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Albay and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 297% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Albay vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $300 per month, with Albay cheaper across the board.

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

Albay vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albay and Medellin differ by about 125% in total monthly costs ($731 vs $1,641 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 297% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $269 in Albay versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Albay – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Albay versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albay but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Albay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Albay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.