Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Baguio versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,139 in Baguio versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,500 in Baguio versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Baguio costs roughly 25% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 42% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 ₱220

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-39.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.50 ₱826

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-58.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.60 ₱159

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-63.89%

Cappuccino

$2.34 ₱143

$1.70 COP 6,186

37.65%

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

$0.70 ₱42.94

$1.10 COP 3,996

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.52

$0.72 COP 2,625

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ₱89.2

$1.67 COP 6,067

-12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱122

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-35.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱115

$1.06 COP 3,837

78.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₱76.6

$1.25 COP 4,531

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.1

$1.39 COP 5,060

-20.14%

Eggs

$2.20 ₱134

$2.26 COP 8,229

-2.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 ₱555

$4.33 COP 15.8K

109.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₱226

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-36.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.42 ₱515

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-4.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ₱161

$2.24 COP 8,159

17.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 ₱114

$1.08 COP 3,911

73.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 ₱138

$1.53 COP 5,563

47.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 ₱72.0

$1.37 COP 4,987

-13.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ₱111

$1.13 COP 4,109

61.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 ₱140

$1.12 COP 4,067

104.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₱44.31

$0.85 COP 3,080

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.22

$0.91 COP 3,305

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₱205

$2.33 COP 8,477

43.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 ₱561

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-17.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₱65.8

$1.19 COP 4,342

-9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱138

$2.37 COP 8,617

-4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.77

$0.79 COP 2,859

-67.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.56 ₱646

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-74.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱53.3

$1.44 COP 5,223

-39.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.43

$1.91 COP 6,952

-88.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 ₱150

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-69.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱67.8

$0.94 COP 3,410

18.09%

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

$32.3K ₱2.0M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

79.97%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-23.46%

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

$146 ₱8,914

$84.0 COP 305.4K

73.54%

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

$34.10 ₱2,086

$9.60 COP 34.9K

255.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.99 ₱1,590

$24.16 COP 87.9K

7.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.76 ₱1,331

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-15.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.16 ₱254

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-78.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 ₱363

$3.92 COP 14.2K

51.28%

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

$153 ₱9,378

$306 COP 1.1M

-49.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,642 ₱284.0K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-21.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.11 ₱3,005

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-15.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.25 ₱1,667

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 ₱4,667

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-23.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.91 ₱2,809

$107 COP 389.7K

-57.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₱21.2K

$487 COP 1.8M

-28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 ₱8,706

$368 COP 1.3M

-61.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 ₱33.3K

$826 COP 3.0M

-34.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₱16.1K

$716 COP 2.6M

-63.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,423 ₱148.2K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-17.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$949 ₱58.0K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-32.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$186 ₱11.4K

$546 COP 2.0M

-65.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

13.43

-66.49%

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

Last update for Baguio: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $346 in Baguio and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 194% 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: $13.00 in Baguio vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Baguio vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Medellin earns 194% less. 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: $346 in Baguio versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $779 per month in Baguio versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 289% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $779 in Baguio versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baguio but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Baguio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baguio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $779 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baguio hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Baguio and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baguio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.