Cost of Living Comparison Between Cauayan City and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cauayan City and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $720 per month in Cauayan City vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,092 per month in Cauayan City vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,465 per month in Cauayan City vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Cauayan City is about 57% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cauayan City sits 47% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 ₱248

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-50.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.62 ₱1,044

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-65.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.73 ₱172

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-72.40%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ₱111

$3.13 COP 9,937

-43.77%

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

$0.56 ₱35.43

$1.91 COP 6,058

-70.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.44

$1.51 COP 4,794

-79.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ₱60.1

$3.12 COP 9,917

-69.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₱101

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-72.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱102

$1.44 COP 4,587

13.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₱71.9

$2.49 COP 7,894

-54.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.4

$1.77 COP 5,631

-42.94%

Eggs

$1.98 ₱125

$2.96 COP 9,396

-33.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.19 ₱326

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-48.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-67.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 ₱483

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-46.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-44.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₱101

$1.61 COP 5,106

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ₱151

$2.25 COP 7,129

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.3

$2.25 COP 7,150

-54.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱109

$2.04 COP 6,486

-15.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.54 COP 4,873

12.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱41.97

$1.17 COP 3,715

-42.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.21

$1.31 COP 4,148

-59.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₱188

$3.90 COP 12.4K

-23.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 ₱561

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-36.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₱58.2

$1.74 COP 5,534

-46.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱131

$2.87 COP 9,112

-27.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱17.14

$1.22 COP 3,858

-77.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.51 ₱660

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-86.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₱50.4

$1.31 COP 4,155

-38.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$2.19 COP 6,944

-88.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱118

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-78.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ₱60.8

$1.37 COP 4,334

-29.20%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

-22.55%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-45.88%

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

$140 ₱8,792

$177 COP 562.9K

-21.07%

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

$10.54 ₱662

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-24.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.34 ₱1,403

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-24.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.51 ₱1,854

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-34.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.09 ₱257

$17.12 COP 54.4K

-76.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 ₱333

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-20.45%

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

$134 ₱8,432

$813 COP 2.6M

-83.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K ₱684.5K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

18.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.17 ₱1,833

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-67.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.20 ₱1,206

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-67.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.2 ₱3,531

$138 COP 438.8K

-59.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.1 ₱3,459

$102 COP 324.2K

-46.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 ₱15.8K

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-76.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 ₱10.5K

$663 COP 2.1M

-74.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 ₱29.5K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-75.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 ₱20.6K

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-68.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,867 ₱180.1K

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-31.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,123 ₱70.6K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-32.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $251 in Cauayan City versus $1,062 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 $17.00 in Cauayan City versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $305 – 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

Monthly costs with rent: $720 in Cauayan City, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 133% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,080 per month in Cauayan City and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $134 per month in Cauayan City and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cauayan City, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Cauayan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $720 in Cauayan City to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.