Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calapan City and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Calapan City: $710 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calapan City
🇵🇭 Philippines
$710
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calapan City and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calapan City and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $710 per month in Calapan City vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Calapan City $710
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $1,088 per month in Calapan City vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Calapan City $1,088
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $1,467 per month in Calapan City vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Calapan City $1,467
  • Medellin $3,190

Calapan City is about 56% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Calapan City sits 47% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calapan City
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.01 ₱252
$7.93 COP 25.2K
-49.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.85 ₱1,061
$46.13 COP 146.3K
-63.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.83 ₱178
$9.50 COP 30.1K
-70.21%
Cappuccino
$2.25 ₱142
$3.11 COP 9,866
-27.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 ₱38.53
$1.83 COP 5,800
-66.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ₱19.15
$1.38 COP 4,360
-78.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.13 ₱71.0
$3.05 COP 9,672
-62.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 ₱120
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-65.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calapan City
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ₱107
$1.45 COP 4,600
16.55%
White Bread (500g)
$1.15 ₱72.5
$2.36 COP 7,496
-51.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.97 ₱61.1
$1.68 COP 5,328
-42.26%
Eggs
$1.92 ₱121
$2.86 COP 9,077
-32.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.78 ₱301
$10.19 COP 32.3K
-53.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.23 ₱267
$9.53 COP 30.2K
-55.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.03 ₱442
$14.04 COP 44.5K
-49.93%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 ₱147
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-42.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.60 ₱101
$1.50 COP 4,742
6.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$2.17 COP 6,891
8.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.14 ₱71.6
$2.31 COP 7,310
-50.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 ₱120
$1.93 COP 6,113
-1.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.95 ₱123
$1.64 COP 5,196
18.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ₱62.3
$1.13 COP 3,571
-12.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ₱34.62
$1.25 COP 3,954
-56.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.99 ₱188
$3.99 COP 12.6K
-25.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.38 ₱464
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-44.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 ₱59.6
$1.70 COP 5,384
-44.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 ₱123
$2.37 COP 7,525
-17.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Calapan City
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 ₱15.06
$1.21 COP 3,827
-80.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.13 ₱701
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-85.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.79 ₱49.46
$1.32 COP 4,179
-40.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.20 ₱12.48
$2.14 COP 6,774
-90.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.94 ₱122
$8.47 COP 26.8K
-77.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ₱66.3
$1.30 COP 4,114
-19.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.0K ₱1.4M
$28.0K COP 88.7M
-17.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.8K ₱1.2M
$35.4K COP 112.3M
-47.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calapan City
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$121 ₱7,642
$172 COP 545.6K
-29.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.21 ₱895
$13.37 COP 42.4K
6.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 ₱1,525
$28.73 COP 91.1K
-15.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calapan City
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.71 ₱2,059
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-27.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.12 ₱323
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-69.95%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 ₱319
$6.28 COP 19.9K
-19.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calapan City
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$125 ₱7,875
$770 COP 2.4M
-83.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,935 ₱499.6K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
-11.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calapan City
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.35 ₱2,037
$86.4 COP 274.0K
-62.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.22 ₱1,210
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-66.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.8 ₱4,395
$137 COP 432.9K
-48.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.0 ₱3,589
$97.9 COP 310.4K
-41.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calapan City
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$232 ₱14.6K
$1,055 COP 3.3M
-78.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$156 ₱9,819
$616 COP 2.0M
-74.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$497 ₱31.3K
$1,892 COP 6.0M
-73.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$336 ₱21.1K
$1,023 COP 3.2M
-67.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,385 ₱150.2K
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-41.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,002 ₱63.1K
$1,678 COP 5.3M
-40.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calapan City
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$118 ₱7,460
$652 COP 2.1M
-81.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
10.94
-37.93%

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

Last update for Calapan City: October 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Calapan City
$177
Medellin
$295 66.8% $118
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calapan City
$160
Medellin
$214 34% $54
Accommodation & Living
Calapan City
$156
Medellin
$616 295% $460
Eating Out
Calapan City
$81
Medellin
$168 109% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Calapan City
$80
Medellin
$170 112% $90
Sport & Entertainment
Calapan City
$43
Medellin
$58 34.9% $15
Getting Around
Calapan City
$14
Medellin
$93 573% $79

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $232 in Calapan City versus $1,055 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 451% 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 Calapan City versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $295 – making Calapan City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Calapan City
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
05:54 5:54 AM
16:54 4:54 PM
13 h behind Calapan City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
145,786
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calapan City Medellin 17,150 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Calapan City
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Calapan City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Calapan City?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 127%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,065 per month in Calapan City and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Calapan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Calapan City or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Calapan City and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Calapan City and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $710 in Calapan City and $1,614 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 127%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Calapan City or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calapan City, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Calapan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Calapan City or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Calapan City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Calapan City. 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.

Calapan City vs other spots: cost of living compared

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