Cost of Living Comparison Between Davao and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Davao and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $821 in Davao versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,263 in Davao versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,705 in Davao versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Davao costs roughly 19% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Davao 39% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ₱272

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-26.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.31 ₱1,499

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-26.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 ₱285

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-34.84%

Cappuccino

$2.13 ₱131

$1.71 COP 6,115

24.56%

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

$0.88 ₱54.2

$1.10 COP 3,924

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.92

$0.78 COP 2,781

-32.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ₱85.4

$1.68 COP 5,997

-17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₱111

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-41.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ₱108

$1.09 COP 3,906

61.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱77.5

$1.26 COP 4,508

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱56.3

$1.38 COP 4,922

-34.06%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱127

$2.19 COP 7,827

-5.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 ₱363

$4.40 COP 15.7K

33.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 ₱278

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-20.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 ₱439

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 ₱178

$2.34 COP 8,349

23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ₱69.8

$1.06 COP 3,777

6.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ₱148

$1.50 COP 5,374

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ₱82.6

$1.38 COP 4,924

-2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱137

$1.15 COP 4,111

93.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 ₱194

$1.16 COP 4,155

171.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ₱81.6

$0.89 COP 3,182

48.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱34.96

$0.84 COP 2,997

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.28 COP 8,145

15.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱494

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-24.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱86.3

$1.20 COP 4,284

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₱96.2

$2.47 COP 8,824

-36.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱14.84

$0.86 COP 3,056

-72.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.15 ₱873

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-65.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ₱52.3

$1.47 COP 5,264

-42.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.08

$1.96 COP 7,009

-88.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-72.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.0

$0.95 COP 3,409

14.74%

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

$21.9K ₱1.4M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

20.92%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-21.36%

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

$104 ₱6,405

$82.3 COP 293.7K

26.29%

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

$33.96 ₱2,094

$9.50 COP 33.9K

257.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.46 ₱2,187

$24.23 COP 86.5K

46.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.61 ₱2,504

$25.89 COP 92.4K

56.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.40 ₱272

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-76.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 ₱271

$3.93 COP 14.0K

11.96%

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

$119 ₱7,328

$309 COP 1.1M

-61.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,012 ₱494.0K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

34.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 ₱4,043

$58.7 COP 209.5K

11.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.07 ₱1,854

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-7.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 ₱4,792

$103 COP 366.4K

-24.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.8 ₱4,183

$108 COP 387.2K

-37.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 ₱20.4K

$476 COP 1.7M

-30.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ₱11.3K

$379 COP 1.4M

-51.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$814 ₱50.2K

$838 COP 3.0M

-2.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ₱22.8K

$724 COP 2.6M

-48.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,654 ₱102.0K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-40.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 ₱89.9K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

20.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$216 ₱13.3K

$512 COP 1.8M

-57.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

13.43

-28.82%

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

Last update for Davao: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $330 in Davao and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 137% 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: $24.00 in Davao vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $188, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Davao vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Davao is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 137% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $330 in Davao versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Davao – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $821 per month in Davao versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $821 in Davao versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Davao but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Davao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Davao is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Davao 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 Davao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.