🙂A single person spends $683 per month in Cauayan City vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,050 per month in Cauayan City vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,417 per month in Cauayan City vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Cauayan City is about 34% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Cauayan City and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Cauayan City49% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.62₱221
$5.92COP 21.5K
-38.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.25₱811
$32.75COP 119.1K
-59.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.71₱166
$7.20COP 26.2K
-62.36%
Cappuccino
$2.28₱140
$1.70COP 6,186
34.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33₱20.31
$1.10COP 3,996
-70.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31₱18.69
$0.72COP 2,625
-56.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.03₱63.1
$1.67COP 6,067
-38.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74₱106
$3.10COP 11.3K
-43.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.69₱104
$1.06COP 3,837
59.43%
White Bread(500g)
$1.21₱73.9
$1.25COP 4,531
-3.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.93₱56.9
$1.39COP 5,060
-33.09%
Eggs
$1.45₱88.7
$2.26COP 8,229
-35.84%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.06₱310
$4.33COP 15.8K
16.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.76₱230
$5.84COP 21.2K
-35.62%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.06₱432
$8.83COP 32.1K
-20.05%
Apples(1kg)
$2.14₱131
$2.24COP 8,159
-4.46%
Banana(1kg)
$0.77₱47.28
$1.08COP 3,911
-28.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08₱127
$1.53COP 5,563
35.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.68₱41.66
$1.37COP 4,987
-50.36%
Potato(1kg)
$0.87₱53.1
$1.13COP 4,109
-23.01%
Onion(1kg)
$1.35₱82.4
$1.12COP 4,067
20.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.69₱42.14
$0.85COP 3,080
-18.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69₱42.07
$0.91COP 3,305
-24.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.55₱156
$2.33COP 8,477
9.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.90₱545
$11.13COP 40.5K
-20.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04₱63.4
$1.19COP 4,342
-12.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19₱134
$2.37COP 8,617
-7.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.26₱15.75
$0.79COP 2,859
-67.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.13COP 149.6K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.87₱53.3
$1.44COP 5,223
-39.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.22₱13.39
$1.91COP 6,952
-88.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.46₱150
$8.02COP 29.2K
-69.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.15₱70.5
$0.94COP 3,410
22.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.7K₱1.1M
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
-1.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.6K₱1.3M
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
-22.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$90.1₱5,512
$84.0COP 305.4K
7.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.63₱2,119
$9.60COP 34.9K
260.73%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.29₱1,608
$24.16COP 87.9K
8.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$34.18₱2,091
$25.88COP 94.1K
32.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.36₱266
$19.04COP 69.3K
-77.10%
Cinema Ticket
$4.27₱261
$3.92COP 14.2K
8.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$52.2₱3,196
$306COP 1.1M
-82.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,784₱109.1K
$5,919COP 21.5M
-69.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.94₱1,648
$57.9COP 210.6K
-53.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.45₱1,313
$31.82COP 115.7K
-32.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$52.7₱3,222
$99.9COP 363.3K
-47.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.29₱2,894
$107COP 389.7K
-55.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$268₱16.4K
$487COP 1.8M
-44.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$175₱10.7K
$368COP 1.3M
-52.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$576₱35.2K
$826COP 3.0M
-30.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$393₱24.0K
$716COP 2.6M
-45.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,605₱159.4K
$2,925COP 10.6M
-10.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$213₱13.0K
$546COP 2.0M
-61.01%
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 Cauayan City: April 27, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $268 in Cauayan City 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 156% 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 Cauayan City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $190 – making Cauayan City 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
Cauayan City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Cauayan City and Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $683 in Cauayan City, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 51% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Cauayan City compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,025 per month in Cauayan City and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Cauayan City and Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cauayan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Cauayan City or Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $683 in Cauayan City and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Cauayan City and Medellin?
Kindergarten costs $52.2 per month in Cauayan City and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cauayan City, where all-in costs run around $683, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Cauayan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Cauayan City and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $683 in Cauayan City to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Cauayan City and Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Cauayan 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.
Cauayan City vs other spots: cost of living compared