Cost of Living Comparison Between Dasmarinas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dasmarinas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $502 in Dasmarinas versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Dasmarinas versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $998 in Dasmarinas versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Dasmarinas costs roughly 71% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dasmarinas is 63% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 ₱257

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-48.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.57 ₱1,037

$48.26 COP 151.0K

-65.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.76 ₱173

$9.77 COP 30.6K

-71.75%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₱111

$2.91 COP 9,107

-38.83%

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

$0.59 ₱37.08

$1.94 COP 6,082

-69.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.38

$1.52 COP 4,760

-79.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₱63.4

$3.09 COP 9,676

-67.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₱98.2

$5.74 COP 18.0K

-72.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$1.36 COP 4,267

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₱69.6

$2.39 COP 7,470

-53.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 ₱43.81

$1.70 COP 5,321

-58.82%

Eggs

$1.82 ₱114

$2.87 COP 8,979

-36.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.01 ₱313

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-49.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ₱216

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-67.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 ₱293

$14.73 COP 46.1K

-68.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₱140

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-45.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₱100

$1.57 COP 4,917

1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 ₱153

$2.13 COP 6,651

14.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.7

$2.21 COP 6,926

-52.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 ₱106

$2.05 COP 6,404

-17.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.50 COP 4,706

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₱38.65

$1.19 COP 3,723

-47.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.20

$1.16 COP 3,623

-56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₱183

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-25.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.07 ₱568

$14.44 COP 45.2K

-37.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₱56.4

$1.58 COP 4,955

-43.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱126

$2.83 COP 8,847

-28.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,655

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 243.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.39

$1.28 COP 4,019

-38.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.69

$2.09 COP 6,546

-88.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱118

$8.62 COP 27.0K

-78.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 ₱61.2

$1.30 COP 4,061

-24.62%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$27.7K COP 86.5M

-21.65%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$35.5K COP 111.1M

-44.65%

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

$48.99 ₱3,067

$176 COP 550.9K

-72.18%

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

$17.37 ₱1,087

$13.37 COP 41.8K

29.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 ₱1,493

$29.89 COP 93.5K

-20.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.47 ₱2,095

$44.76 COP 140.0K

-25.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 ₱320

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-17.74%

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

$136 ₱8,490

$793 COP 2.5M

-82.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₱677.1K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

19.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.71 ₱1,797

$85.6 COP 267.8K

-66.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.82 ₱1,241

$58.5 COP 182.9K

-66.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₱4,478

$136 COP 426.4K

-47.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 ₱3,470

$103 COP 322.6K

-46.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$48.46 ₱3,034

$680 COP 2.1M

-92.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$357 ₱22.4K

$665 COP 2.1M

-46.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

10.94

-41.50%

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

Last update for Dasmarinas: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 86% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Dasmarinas vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $161 vs $303 per month, with Dasmarinas 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

Dasmarinas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dasmarinas and Medellin differ by about 242% in total monthly costs ($502 vs $1,716 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 86% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $136 in Dasmarinas versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Dasmarinas – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $502 in Dasmarinas versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dasmarinas but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dasmarinas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dasmarinas and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dasmarinas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 242% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.