Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacolod and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacolod and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $736 per month in Bacolod vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,190 per month in Bacolod vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,645 per month in Bacolod vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Bacolod is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Bacolod and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Bacolod 45% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ₱138

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-62.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.17 ₱1,060

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-47.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.97 ₱245

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-44.01%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ₱183

$1.71 COP 6,105

73.10%

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

$1.64 ₱101

$1.10 COP 3,918

49.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.9

$0.78 COP 2,776

55.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ₱78.8

$1.68 COP 5,987

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱119

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-36.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ₱107

$1.09 COP 3,899

58.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₱76.8

$1.26 COP 4,500

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱55.9

$1.38 COP 4,914

-34.06%

Eggs

$1.77 ₱109

$2.19 COP 7,813

-19.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 ₱595

$4.40 COP 15.7K

119.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ₱470

$5.63 COP 20.1K

35.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 ₱479

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-12.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 ₱238

$2.34 COP 8,334

64.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 ₱168

$1.06 COP 3,771

157.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱159

$1.50 COP 5,365

72.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₱39.85

$1.38 COP 4,915

-52.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.15 COP 4,104

101.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 ₱140

$1.16 COP 4,148

95.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$0.89 COP 3,176

23.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱69.5

$0.84 COP 2,992

34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 ₱188

$2.28 COP 8,131

33.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱59.1

$1.20 COP 4,276

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱123

$2.47 COP 8,809

-19.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₱10.86

$0.86 COP 3,051

-79.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.62 ₱655

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-74.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.43

$1.47 COP 5,255

-46.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.79

$1.96 COP 6,997

-87.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱134

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-71.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱76.5

$0.95 COP 3,403

30.53%

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

$25.3K ₱1.6M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

39.59%

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

$30.6K ₱1.9M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

15.57%

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

$103 ₱6,364

$82.3 COP 293.2K

25.40%

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

$35.67 ₱2,201

$9.50 COP 33.9K

275.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.89 ₱1,721

$24.23 COP 86.4K

15.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.22 ₱1,618

$25.89 COP 92.3K

1.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.58 ₱159

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-86.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 ₱300

$3.93 COP 14.0K

23.66%

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

$35.27 ₱2,176

$309 COP 1.1M

-88.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,330 ₱267.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-27.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 ₱3,412

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-5.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.06 ₱1,608

$32.35 COP 115.3K

-19.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 ₱3,090

$103 COP 365.7K

-51.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.72 ₱2,698

$108 COP 386.5K

-59.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 ₱14.0K

$476 COP 1.7M

-52.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 ₱9,161

$379 COP 1.4M

-60.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₱30.5K

$838 COP 3.0M

-40.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.5K

$724 COP 2.6M

-40.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$207 ₱12.8K

$512 COP 1.8M

-59.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

13.43

-50.34%

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

Last update for Bacolod: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $227 in Bacolod versus $476 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 148% 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 $17.00 in Bacolod versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Bacolod vs $188 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

Bacolod vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $736 in Bacolod, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 38% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,104 per month in Bacolod and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacolod, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 290% less in Bacolod. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $35.27 per month in Bacolod and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bacolod, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Bacolod it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Bacolod has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $736 in Bacolod to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Bacolod. 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.