Cost of Living Comparison Between Calamba and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Calamba and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $708 in Calamba versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in Calamba versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,660 in Calamba versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Calamba costs roughly 29% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calamba 47% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 ₱222

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-38.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.32 ₱815

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-59.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.63 ₱161

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-64.60%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₱144

$1.65 COP 5,207

42.42%

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

$0.64 ₱39.48

$1.10 COP 3,468

-41.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.72

$0.78 COP 2,458

-48.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₱61.6

$1.72 COP 5,412

-41.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₱117

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-39.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ₱113

$1.10 COP 3,474

68.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱73.0

$1.26 COP 3,962

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱65.1

$1.38 COP 4,349

-23.19%

Eggs

$2.28 ₱140

$2.18 COP 6,858

4.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 ₱548

$4.49 COP 14.1K

99.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₱238

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-32.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.36 ₱512

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-6.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ₱167

$2.32 COP 7,308

17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₱109

$1.06 COP 3,352

68.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱143

$1.52 COP 4,774

53.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.1

$1.36 COP 4,270

-14.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ₱111

$1.13 COP 3,552

61.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.17 COP 3,689

93.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱40.87

$0.90 COP 2,838

-25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.13

$0.90 COP 2,823

-14.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₱196

$2.23 COP 7,034

43.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 ₱544

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-26.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₱65.0

$1.19 COP 3,743

-10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱138

$2.48 COP 7,815

-9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.17

$0.85 COP 2,687

-67.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱53.2

$1.42 COP 4,459

-38.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.73

$1.95 COP 6,141

-87.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 ₱149

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-69.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.0

$0.99 COP 3,118

12.12%

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

$31.5K ₱1.9M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

79.09%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-24.57%

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

$145 ₱8,878

$83.0 COP 261.4K

74.71%

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

$34.59 ₱2,118

$9.70 COP 30.5K

256.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.09 ₱1,597

$23.52 COP 74.1K

10.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.25 ₱2,035

$25.26 COP 79.5K

31.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.39 ₱269

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-77.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 ₱344

$3.95 COP 12.4K

42.03%

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

$149 ₱9,119

$316 COP 994.2K

-52.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,757 ₱291.2K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-20.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.74 ₱2,983

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-18.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.48 ₱1,682

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-13.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 ₱4,631

$102 COP 320.1K

-25.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.08 ₱2,882

$107 COP 338.3K

-56.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 ₱7,479

$475 COP 1.5M

-74.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.8 ₱4,821

$374 COP 1.2M

-78.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 ₱36.4K

$849 COP 2.7M

-30.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱24.0K

$719 COP 2.3M

-45.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 ₱15.7K

$624 COP 2.0M

-58.84%

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 Calamba: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in Calamba and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 143% 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 Calamba vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $193, 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

Calamba vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calamba wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calamba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 143% 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: $122 in Calamba versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $708 per month in Calamba versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $708 in Calamba versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calamba but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Calamba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Calamba delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $708 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Calamba hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Calamba 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 Calamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.