Cost of Living Comparison Between El Nido and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between El Nido and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $823 per month in El Nido vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,306 per month in El Nido vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,788 per month in El Nido vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

El Nido is about 20% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both El Nido and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – El Nido 39% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₱311

$5.92 COP 21.2K

-12.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.48 ₱1,834

$33.17 COP 118.7K

-8.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 ₱256

$7.25 COP 25.9K

-41.24%

Cappuccino

$3.98 ₱239

$1.71 COP 6,137

132.75%

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

$1.36 ₱82.0

$1.09 COP 3,915

24.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.00

$0.77 COP 2,743

-48.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₱82.1

$1.75 COP 6,254

-22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱125

$3.18 COP 11.4K

-34.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ₱110

$1.06 COP 3,792

71.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱73.3

$1.30 COP 4,657

-6.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 ₱104

$1.38 COP 4,926

25.36%

Eggs

$2.60 ₱156

$2.21 COP 7,908

17.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱491

$4.52 COP 16.2K

80.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 ₱199

$5.80 COP 20.7K

-42.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.31 ₱500

$8.97 COP 32.1K

-7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ₱181

$2.29 COP 8,182

31.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ₱41.33

$1.06 COP 3,791

-34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱163

$1.51 COP 5,411

79.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 ₱127

$1.36 COP 4,869

55.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 ₱133

$1.16 COP 4,146

90.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 ₱127

$1.17 COP 4,174

80.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱66.7

$0.83 COP 2,960

33.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱42.79

$0.85 COP 3,043

-16.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 ₱168

$2.35 COP 8,423

19.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.10 ₱548

$11.09 COP 39.7K

-17.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱70.1

$1.15 COP 4,133

0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱124

$2.47 COP 8,853

-16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₱22.04

$0.79 COP 2,827

-53.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱46.89

$1.44 COP 5,140

-45.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.15

$1.90 COP 6,793

-88.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱127

$7.70 COP 27.6K

-72.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ₱62.5

$1.03 COP 3,680

0.97%

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

$27.0K ₱1.6M

$17.7K COP 63.3M

52.80%

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

$20.1K ₱1.2M

$27.0K COP 96.7M

-25.45%

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

$114 ₱6,885

$81.4 COP 291.4K

40.51%

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

$32.43 ₱1,952

$9.42 COP 33.7K

244.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 ₱1,911

$23.77 COP 85.1K

33.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.21 ₱2,059

$25.86 COP 92.6K

32.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 ₱266

$19.34 COP 69.2K

-77.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 ₱354

$4.05 COP 14.5K

45.19%

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

$153 ₱9,236

$312 COP 1.1M

-50.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,376 ₱263.4K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

-27.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.35 ₱2,789

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-21.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ₱1,586

$32.82 COP 117.5K

-19.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,551

$100 COP 359.6K

-24.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 ₱3,232

$106 COP 380.3K

-49.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₱15.8K

$490 COP 1.8M

-46.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱10.8K

$371 COP 1.3M

-51.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 ₱34.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

-30.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₱24.1K

$715 COP 2.6M

-43.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,567 ₱154.5K

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-13.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 ₱15.7K

$532 COP 1.9M

-50.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

13.43

-50.34%

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

Last update for El Nido: April 22, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $263 in El Nido versus $490 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 103% 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 $30 in El Nido versus $33 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in El Nido 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

El Nido vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $823 in El Nido, $1,030 in Medellin – roughly 25% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,235 per month in El Nido and $1,544 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Nido, 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 $823 in El Nido and $1,030 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $153 per month in El Nido and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Nido, where all-in costs run around $823, than in Medellin at $1,030. In El Nido it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $823 in El Nido to $1,030 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with El Nido. 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.