🙂A single person spends $682 per month in Cauayan City vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,053 per month in Cauayan City vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,425 per month in Cauayan City vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Cauayan City is about 32% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Cauayan City and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Cauayan City49% lower, Medellin25% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.45₱211
$5.91COP 18.6K
-41.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.26₱812
$32.96COP 103.8K
-59.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.60₱159
$7.43COP 23.4K
-65.01%
Cappuccino
$2.34₱143
$1.65COP 5,207
41.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33₱20.31
$1.10COP 3,468
-70.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33₱20.29
$0.78COP 2,458
-57.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.04₱63.9
$1.72COP 5,412
-39.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73₱106
$3.18COP 10.0K
-45.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.73₱106
$1.10COP 3,474
57.27%
White Bread(500g)
$1.21₱74.0
$1.26COP 3,962
-3.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.91₱55.9
$1.38COP 4,349
-34.06%
Eggs
$1.45₱89.0
$2.18COP 6,858
-33.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.11₱313
$4.49COP 14.1K
13.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.75₱230
$5.79COP 18.2K
-35.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.26₱444
$8.97COP 28.2K
-19.06%
Apples(1kg)
$2.07₱127
$2.32COP 7,308
-10.78%
Banana(1kg)
$0.77₱47.32
$1.06COP 3,352
-27.36%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.07₱127
$1.52COP 4,774
36.18%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.74₱45.06
$1.36COP 4,270
-45.59%
Potato(1kg)
$0.86₱52.4
$1.13COP 3,552
-23.89%
Onion(1kg)
$1.30₱79.9
$1.17COP 3,689
11.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.71₱43.47
$0.90COP 2,838
-21.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72₱44.15
$0.90COP 2,823
-20.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.61₱160
$2.23COP 7,034
17.04%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.08₱556
$12.12COP 38.2K
-25.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.02₱62.4
$1.19COP 3,743
-14.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15₱132
$2.48COP 7,815
-13.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.28₱17.20
$0.85COP 2,687
-67.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.62COP 131.0K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.91₱55.6
$1.42COP 4,459
-35.92%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.24₱14.78
$1.95COP 6,141
-87.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.43₱149
$7.89COP 24.8K
-69.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.15₱70.4
$0.99COP 3,118
16.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.8K₱1.1M
$17.6KCOP 55.4M
1.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2K₱1.2M
$26.8KCOP 84.4M
-24.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$88.9₱5,439
$83.0COP 261.4K
7.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.99₱2,142
$9.70COP 30.5K
260.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.49₱1,622
$23.52COP 74.1K
12.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$34.32₱2,101
$25.26COP 79.5K
35.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.50₱276
$19.10COP 60.1K
-76.44%
Cinema Ticket
$4.24₱259
$3.95COP 12.4K
7.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$53.0₱3,247
$316COP 994.2K
-83.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,753₱107.3K
$5,975COP 18.8M
-70.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.34₱1,612
$60.0COP 188.9K
-56.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.07₱1,289
$31.82COP 100.2K
-33.78%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$52.8₱3,234
$102COP 320.1K
-48.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$45.82₱2,805
$107COP 338.3K
-57.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$263₱16.1K
$475COP 1.5M
-44.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$178₱10.9K
$374COP 1.2M
-52.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$589₱36.0K
$849COP 2.7M
-30.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$400₱24.5K
$719COP 2.3M
-44.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,583₱158.1K
$3,265COP 10.3M
-20.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,048₱64.1K
$1,441COP 4.5M
-27.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$213₱13.0K
$624COP 2.0M
-65.88%
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: July 26, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $263 in Cauayan City versus $475 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 193% 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: $166 vs $193 – 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 in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $682 in Cauayan City, $1,003 in Medellin – roughly 47% 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 $1,023 per month in Cauayan City and $1,504 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 $682 in Cauayan City and $1,003 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 $53.0 per month in Cauayan City and $316 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 $682, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $682 in Cauayan City to $1,003 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