Cost of Living Comparison Between Caloocan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Caloocan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $675 per month in Caloocan vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,053 per month in Caloocan vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,432 per month in Caloocan vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Caloocan is about 35% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Caloocan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Caloocan 50% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 ₱220

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-39.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.50 ₱832

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-58.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.71 ₱167

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-62.36%

Cappuccino

$1.13 ₱70.0

$1.70 COP 6,140

-33.53%

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

$0.47 ₱29.00

$1.10 COP 3,966

-57.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.87

$0.72 COP 2,605

-48.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₱83.4

$1.67 COP 6,022

-19.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱121

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-36.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱117

$1.06 COP 3,809

79.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱73.4

$1.25 COP 4,497

-4.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₱64.3

$1.39 COP 5,022

-25.18%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱124

$2.26 COP 8,168

-11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.17 ₱134

$4.33 COP 15.6K

-49.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.81 ₱173

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-51.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.50 ₱340

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-37.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₱127

$2.24 COP 8,099

-8.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.08 COP 3,882

1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.53 COP 5,522

52.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱75.5

$1.37 COP 4,950

-10.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱75.2

$1.13 COP 4,078

7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 ₱141

$1.12 COP 4,036

104.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₱44.52

$0.85 COP 3,057

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱36.23

$0.91 COP 3,281

-35.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱196

$2.33 COP 8,414

36.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 ₱307

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-55.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₱66.6

$1.19 COP 4,309

-9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₱141

$2.37 COP 8,553

-3.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.60

$0.79 COP 2,838

-72.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱48.55

$1.44 COP 5,184

-45.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.82

$1.91 COP 6,901

-87.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 ₱143

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-71.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.2

$0.94 COP 3,385

18.09%

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

$32.5K ₱2.0M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

81.41%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-22.78%

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

$61.0 ₱3,763

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-27.33%

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

$10.60 ₱654

$9.60 COP 34.7K

10.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.26 ₱1,620

$24.16 COP 87.2K

8.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.20 ₱321

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-79.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.41 ₱272

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-76.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$3.92 COP 14.1K

48.98%

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

$150 ₱9,272

$306 COP 1.1M

-50.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,807 ₱296.5K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-18.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.06 ₱2,964

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-17.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.23 ₱1,679

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-14.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.2 ₱3,281

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-46.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.05 ₱2,902

$107 COP 386.8K

-56.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 ₱17.5K

$487 COP 1.8M

-41.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₱16.3K

$368 COP 1.3M

-28.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 ₱36.5K

$826 COP 3.0M

-28.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₱32.4K

$716 COP 2.6M

-26.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,325 ₱143.4K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-20.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$275 ₱16.9K

$546 COP 2.0M

-49.64%

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 Caloocan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Caloocan versus $487 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 99% 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 $13.00 in Caloocan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $190 – making Caloocan 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

Caloocan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 53% more than Caloocan, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,013 per month in Caloocan and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Caloocan and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Caloocan, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Caloocan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Caloocan costs $675 versus $1,034 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Caloocan. 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.