🙂A single person spends $590 per month in Cavite vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $995 per month in Cavite vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,400 per month in Cavite vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Cavite is about 43% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Cavite and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Cavite56% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cavite
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.61₱161
$5.92COP 21.4K
-55.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.42₱828
$32.75COP 118.2K
-59.02%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.57₱159
$7.20COP 26.0K
-64.31%
Cappuccino
$1.94₱120
$1.70COP 6,140
14.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67₱41.36
$1.10COP 3,966
-39.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31₱19.05
$0.72COP 2,605
-56.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.23₱75.8
$1.67COP 6,022
-26.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72₱106
$3.10COP 11.2K
-44.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cavite
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.72₱106
$1.06COP 3,809
62.26%
White Bread(500g)
$1.24₱76.5
$1.25COP 4,497
-0.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.00₱61.9
$1.39COP 5,022
-28.06%
Eggs
$2.16₱133
$2.26COP 8,168
-4.42%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.43₱459
$4.33COP 15.6K
71.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.87₱239
$5.84COP 21.1K
-33.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.91₱426
$8.83COP 31.9K
-21.74%
Apples(1kg)
$2.62₱161
$2.24COP 8,099
16.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.30₱80.1
$1.08COP 3,882
20.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29₱141
$1.53COP 5,522
49.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.20₱74.2
$1.37COP 4,950
-12.41%
Potato(1kg)
$1.84₱113
$1.13COP 4,078
62.83%
Onion(1kg)
$1.71₱105
$1.12COP 4,036
52.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.60₱37.29
$0.85COP 3,057
-29.41%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62₱38.08
$0.91COP 3,281
-31.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.32₱143
$2.33COP 8,414
-0.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.05₱312
$11.13COP 40.2K
-54.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03₱63.4
$1.19COP 4,309
-13.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44₱88.8
$2.37COP 8,553
-39.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Cavite
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.28₱17.42
$0.79COP 2,838
-64.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$3.13₱193
$41.13COP 148.5K
-92.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.72₱44.59
$1.44COP 5,184
-50.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.24₱14.85
$1.91COP 6,901
-87.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.41₱148
$8.02COP 28.9K
-69.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.15₱70.9
$0.94COP 3,385
22.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.5K₱2.0M
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
81.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.8K₱1.3M
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
-22.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cavite
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$50.8₱3,133
$84.0COP 303.1K
-39.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.39₱1,073
$9.60COP 34.7K
81.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.11₱1,610
$24.16COP 87.2K
8.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cavite
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.93₱2,093
$25.88COP 93.4K
31.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.04COP 68.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.83₱360
$3.92COP 14.1K
48.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cavite
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$151₱9,324
$306COP 1.1M
-50.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,745₱292.7K
$5,919COP 21.4M
-19.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cavite
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.78₱2,516
$57.9COP 209.1K
-29.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.30₱1,622
$31.82COP 114.9K
-17.35%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.7₱4,605
$99.9COP 360.6K
-25.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.03₱2,901
$107COP 386.8K
-56.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cavite
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$158₱9,755
$487COP 1.8M
-67.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$124₱7,661
$368COP 1.3M
-66.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$269₱16.6K
$826COP 3.0M
-67.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$396₱24.4K
$716COP 2.6M
-44.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,925COP 10.6M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cavite
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$234₱14.5K
$546COP 2.0M
-57.02%
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 Cavite: April 28, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $158 in Cavite 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 133% 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 Cavite versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $190 – making Cavite 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
Cavite vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Cavite?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $884 per month in Cavite and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cavite, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Cavite vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $590 in Cavite and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 1214% less in Cavite. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Cavite or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cavite, where all-in costs run around $590, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Cavite it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cavite or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cavite – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cavite. 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.