Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulacan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulacan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $709 per month in Bulacan vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,047 per month in Bulacan vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,385 per month in Bulacan vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Bulacan is about 31% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulacan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Bulacan 47% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 ₱162

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-57.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.29 ₱880

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-56.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.86 ₱176

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-61.04%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ₱134

$1.72 COP 5,592

26.74%

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

$0.68 ₱42.03

$1.05 COP 3,416

-35.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.57

$0.77 COP 2,511

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 ₱63.9

$1.69 COP 5,480

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱125

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-35.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ₱125

$1.05 COP 3,418

94.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ₱76.4

$1.30 COP 4,230

-4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱60.4

$1.40 COP 4,538

-30.00%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱122

$2.16 COP 7,037

-7.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.13 ₱193

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-28.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ₱215

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-40.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 ₱397

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-25.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ₱134

$2.28 COP 7,415

-4.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₱88.9

$1.11 COP 3,599

29.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 ₱130

$1.53 COP 4,976

37.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ₱90.5

$1.35 COP 4,405

8.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 ₱112

$1.13 COP 3,669

60.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.8

$1.13 COP 3,687

33.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 ₱51.1

$0.85 COP 2,749

-2.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₱49.24

$0.91 COP 2,971

-12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ₱176

$2.34 COP 7,619

22.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.68 ₱227

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-70.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₱64.3

$1.20 COP 3,904

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₱105

$2.49 COP 8,094

-31.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₱17.92

$0.84 COP 2,724

-65.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.30 ₱449

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-82.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.1

$1.42 COP 4,617

-42.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.51

$1.92 COP 6,227

-88.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱162

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-65.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.5

$0.99 COP 3,219

11.11%

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

$27.3K ₱1.7M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

51.44%

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

$14.8K ₱912.1K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-44.36%

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

$113 ₱6,971

$80.8 COP 262.7K

40.12%

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

$32.87 ₱2,023

$9.95 COP 32.3K

230.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.12 ₱1,731

$24.18 COP 78.6K

16.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.87 ₱2,578

$25.08 COP 81.5K

66.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.34 ₱267

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-77.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ₱372

$3.98 COP 13.0K

52.01%

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

$105 ₱6,494

$305 COP 992.2K

-65.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,301 ₱264.8K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-29.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.11 ₱1,854

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-48.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.21 ₱1,429

$32.20 COP 104.7K

-27.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 ₱4,648

$101 COP 327.5K

-25.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ₱6,103

$108 COP 350.3K

-8.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 ₱15.9K

$477 COP 1.5M

-45.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₱8,317

$376 COP 1.2M

-64.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱24.1K

$845 COP 2.7M

-53.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 ₱12.4K

$730 COP 2.4M

-72.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,954 ₱120.3K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-39.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 ₱90.0K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

6.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$293 ₱18.0K

$617 COP 2.0M

-52.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

13.43

-54.06%

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

Last update for Bulacan: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Bulacan versus $477 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 111% 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 $14.00 in Bulacan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $193 – making Bulacan 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

Bulacan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 45% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,063 per month in Bulacan and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $709 in Bulacan and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 456% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bulacan, where all-in costs run around $709, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Bulacan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bulacan costs $709 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Bulacan. 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.