Cost of Living Comparison Between Dipolog and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dipolog and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Dipolog vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,091 per month in Dipolog vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,493 per month in Dipolog vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Dipolog is about 33% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Dipolog and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Dipolog 49% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.23 ₱75.0

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-79.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.85 ₱1,276

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-36.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.58 ₱219

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-50.28%

Cappuccino

$1.97 ₱121

$1.70 COP 6,186

15.88%

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

$0.53 ₱32.50

$1.10 COP 3,996

-51.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱18.13

$0.72 COP 2,625

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ₱57.5

$1.67 COP 6,067

-43.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱105

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-44.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ₱110

$1.06 COP 3,837

68.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱75.3

$1.25 COP 4,531

-1.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₱53.9

$1.39 COP 5,060

-36.69%

Eggs

$2.24 ₱137

$2.26 COP 8,229

-0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.95 ₱364

$4.33 COP 15.8K

37.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 ₱262

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-26.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 ₱411

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-24.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 ₱219

$2.24 COP 8,159

59.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 ₱72.9

$1.08 COP 3,911

10.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 ₱202

$1.53 COP 5,563

115.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₱98.8

$1.37 COP 4,987

17.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 ₱163

$1.13 COP 4,109

135.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 ₱194

$1.12 COP 4,067

182.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₱104

$0.85 COP 3,080

98.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₱52.2

$0.91 COP 3,305

-6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₱191

$2.33 COP 8,477

33.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.05 ₱248

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-63.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱78.8

$1.19 COP 4,342

8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₱84.8

$2.37 COP 8,617

-41.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.25

$0.79 COP 2,859

-64.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₱41.74

$1.44 COP 5,223

-52.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.31

$1.91 COP 6,952

-86.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 ₱160

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-67.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ₱65.8

$0.94 COP 3,410

14.89%

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

$23.7K ₱1.5M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

32.36%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-27.73%

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

$66.8 ₱4,083

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-20.50%

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

$30.92 ₱1,892

$9.60 COP 34.9K

222.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.36 ₱1,857

$24.16 COP 87.9K

25.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.61 ₱2,056

$25.88 COP 94.1K

29.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.54 ₱278

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-76.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.41 ₱270

$3.92 COP 14.2K

12.50%

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

$35.83 ₱2,192

$306 COP 1.1M

-88.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,389 ₱268.5K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-25.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.15 ₱2,762

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-22.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.77 ₱1,393

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-28.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.0 ₱3,853

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-36.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.74 ₱1,636

$107 COP 389.7K

-75.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₱16.3K

$487 COP 1.8M

-45.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.7K

$368 COP 1.3M

-52.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₱36.1K

$826 COP 3.0M

-28.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₱24.1K

$716 COP 2.6M

-45.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₱148.7K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-16.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 ₱15.3K

$546 COP 2.0M

-54.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-40.43%

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

Last update for Dipolog: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Dipolog 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 118% 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 $21.00 in Dipolog versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Dipolog vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Dipolog vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 50% more than Dipolog, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,034 per month in Dipolog and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dipolog, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $689 in Dipolog and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $35.83 per month in Dipolog and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dipolog, where all-in costs run around $689, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Dipolog it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dipolog costs $689 versus $1,034 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Dipolog. 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.