Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cauayan City and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Cauayan City: $708 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cauayan City, Philippines
Medellin, Colombia
Cauayan City
🇵🇭 Philippines
$708
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cauayan 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 Cauayan City and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $708 per month in Cauayan City vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Cauayan City $708
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Cauayan City vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Cauayan City $1,074
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $1,440 per month in Cauayan City vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Cauayan City $1,440
  • Medellin $3,249

Cauayan City is about 58% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Cauayan City sits 48% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.97 ₱252
$8.34 COP 27.0K
-52.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.34 ₱1,039
$46.53 COP 150.9K
-64.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.77 ₱176
$9.47 COP 30.7K
-70.75%
Cappuccino
$1.82 ₱116
$3.13 COP 10.2K
-41.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 ₱35.05
$1.77 COP 5,727
-68.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ₱21.13
$1.42 COP 4,619
-76.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.00 ₱63.8
$3.15 COP 10.2K
-68.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 ₱98.4
$5.70 COP 18.5K
-72.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 ₱104
$1.53 COP 4,969
6.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.15 ₱73.1
$2.29 COP 7,429
-49.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.93 ₱59.4
$1.94 COP 6,306
-52.06%
Eggs
$2.04 ₱130
$3.07 COP 9,942
-33.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.67 ₱297
$9.99 COP 32.4K
-53.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ₱212
$10.45 COP 33.9K
-68.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.90 ₱502
$13.96 COP 45.3K
-43.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 ₱143
$4.05 COP 13.1K
-44.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 ₱98.8
$1.53 COP 4,956
1.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.38 ₱151
$2.10 COP 6,823
13.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.05 ₱66.8
$2.29 COP 7,437
-54.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.65 ₱105
$2.11 COP 6,839
-21.80%
Onion (1kg)
$1.69 ₱107
$1.71 COP 5,542
-1.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 ₱55.5
$1.17 COP 3,794
-25.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ₱33.35
$1.58 COP 5,123
-67.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.98 ₱189
$3.91 COP 12.7K
-23.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.57 ₱545
$14.04 COP 45.5K
-38.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₱57.4
$1.76 COP 5,712
-48.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 ₱124
$2.71 COP 8,793
-28.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 ₱15.34
$1.18 COP 3,825
-79.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.29 ₱781
$76.3 COP 247.4K
-83.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.76 ₱48.62
$1.81 COP 5,859
-58.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 ₱13.94
$2.13 COP 6,904
-89.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.94 ₱123
$8.13 COP 26.4K
-76.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.91 ₱58.0
$1.28 COP 4,135
-28.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$34.4K COP 111.7M
-38.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.6K ₱1.2M
$34.1K COP 110.7M
-45.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$136 ₱8,669
$178 COP 576.3K
-23.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.33 ₱657
$13.89 COP 45.0K
-25.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.72 ₱1,444
$30.74 COP 99.7K
-26.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.67 ₱1,950
$41.94 COP 136.0K
-26.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.33 ₱339
$16.80 COP 54.5K
-68.27%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 ₱316
$7.47 COP 24.2K
-33.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$131 ₱8,297
$790 COP 2.6M
-83.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K ₱671.7K
$12.3K COP 39.9M
-14.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.11 ₱1,787
$86.3 COP 279.9K
-67.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.23 ₱1,223
$59.3 COP 192.2K
-67.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$53.9 ₱3,427
$138 COP 448.6K
-61.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.8 ₱3,547
$98.8 COP 320.4K
-43.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$247 ₱15.7K
$1,341 COP 4.3M
-81.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$166 ₱10.5K
$667 COP 2.2M
-75.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$479 ₱30.5K
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-75.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$353 ₱22.4K
$1,033 COP 3.3M
-65.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,605 ₱165.6K
$4,098 COP 13.3M
-36.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,114 ₱70.8K
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-42.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cauayan City
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$646 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
10.94
-38.30%

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

Last update for Cauayan City: November 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Cauayan City
$173
Medellin
$307 77.5% $134
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cauayan City
$169
Medellin
$222 31.3% $53
Accommodation & Living
Cauayan City
$166
Medellin
$667 303% $501
Eating Out
Cauayan City
$74
Medellin
$173 135% $99
Clothing & Footwear
Cauayan City
$71
Medellin
$172 144% $102
Sport & Entertainment
Cauayan City
$41
Medellin
$57 40.1% $16
Getting Around
Cauayan City
$15
Medellin
$93 519% $78

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Cauayan City versus $1,341 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Cauayan City versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $307 – making Cauayan City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cauayan City
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
01:31 1:31 AM
12:31 12:31 PM
13 h behind Cauayan City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,616
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 63.58 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.28 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,242 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,635 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cauayan City Medellin 16,800 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cauayan 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
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: $708 in Cauayan City, $1,692 in Medellin – Cauayan City comes out roughly 58% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Cauayan City compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,062 per month in Cauayan City and $2,538 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $247 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Cauayan City and Medellin?
Kindergarten costs $131 per month in Cauayan City and $790 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 78% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Cauayan City, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Cauayan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Cauayan City or Medellin?
Families tend to lean toward Cauayan City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Cauayan City or Medellin?
For expats, Cauayan City is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 58% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Cauayan City vs other spots: cost of living compared

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