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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $754 in Cotabato City versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,149 in Cotabato City versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,544 in Cotabato City versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Cotabato City costs roughly 54% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotabato City is 45% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 ₱307

$8.04 COP 25.0K

-38.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.52 ₱1,030

$48.29 COP 149.9K

-65.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 ₱256

$9.42 COP 29.3K

-56.37%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ₱134

$2.94 COP 9,120

-26.87%

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

$1.08 ₱67.6

$1.86 COP 5,786

-41.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱43.73

$1.46 COP 4,519

-52.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ₱70.5

$3.21 COP 9,969

-64.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₱118

$5.71 COP 17.7K

-66.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ₱127

$1.44 COP 4,467

41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₱68.2

$2.40 COP 7,454

-54.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ₱51.7

$1.70 COP 5,274

-51.18%

Eggs

$1.94 ₱121

$2.89 COP 8,975

-32.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₱429

$10.06 COP 31.2K

-31.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 ₱259

$9.97 COP 31.0K

-58.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.49 ₱530

$14.20 COP 44.1K

-40.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 ₱163

$3.98 COP 12.4K

-34.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ₱70.2

$1.58 COP 4,921

-28.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$2.15 COP 6,682

7.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ₱75.0

$2.30 COP 7,141

-47.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 ₱134

$2.00 COP 6,223

7.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 ₱217

$1.51 COP 4,687

130.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.5

$1.20 COP 3,734

-0.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.37

$1.28 COP 3,981

-46.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 ₱159

$3.84 COP 11.9K

-33.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 ₱495

$14.01 COP 43.5K

-43.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱80.9

$1.71 COP 5,302

-23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₱99.0

$2.74 COP 8,515

-41.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.46

$1.25 COP 3,868

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.14 ₱695

$77.9 COP 241.9K

-85.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.9

$1.31 COP 4,052

-37.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.24

$2.17 COP 6,739

-89.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱118

$8.29 COP 25.8K

-77.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱73.1

$1.36 COP 4,209

-13.97%

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

$21.6K ₱1.3M

$27.5K COP 85.3M

-21.21%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$36.5K COP 113.4M

-48.13%

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

$108 ₱6,720

$169 COP 523.8K

-36.12%

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

$19.17 ₱1,195

$13.57 COP 42.1K

41.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.98 ₱1,994

$28.32 COP 87.9K

12.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.42 ₱2,021

$45.71 COP 141.9K

-29.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.93 ₱308

$17.22 COP 53.5K

-71.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 ₱303

$6.65 COP 20.6K

-26.92%

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

$109 ₱6,783

$803 COP 2.5M

-86.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,655 ₱477.3K

$9,190 COP 28.5M

-16.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.37 ₱2,019

$87.4 COP 271.2K

-62.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.46 ₱1,214

$59.4 COP 184.3K

-67.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 ₱4,470

$139 COP 431.3K

-48.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.7 ₱3,845

$102 COP 316.8K

-39.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.8K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-74.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.9K

$653 COP 2.0M

-73.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 ₱31.5K

$1,925 COP 6.0M

-73.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ₱22.3K

$1,048 COP 3.3M

-65.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,636 ₱164.4K

$4,123 COP 12.8M

-36.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,030 ₱64.2K

$1,697 COP 5.3M

-39.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

10.94

-24.04%

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

Last update for Cotabato City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Cotabato City and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Cotabato City vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $300 per month, with Cotabato City cheaper across the board.

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

Cotabato City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotabato City wins on cost – living expenses run 118% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cotabato City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,131 in Cotabato City and $2,462 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $269 in Cotabato City versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $754 per month in Cotabato City versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cotabato City runs roughly 599% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $754 in Cotabato City versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cotabato City but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cotabato City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cotabato City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $754 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cotabato City hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Cotabato City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.