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 $742 per month in El Nido vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,159 per month in El Nido vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,576 per month in El Nido vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

El Nido is about 55% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

El Nido sits 46% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 ₱301

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-40.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.51 ₱1,850

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-38.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.75 ₱235

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-60.19%

Cappuccino

$2.14 ₱134

$2.94 COP 9,040

-27.21%

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

$1.21 ₱75.9

$1.86 COP 5,735

-34.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₱19.76

$1.46 COP 4,479

-78.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₱73.2

$3.21 COP 9,882

-63.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-64.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ₱92.0

$1.44 COP 4,428

2.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱76.0

$2.40 COP 7,389

-49.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 ₱80.6

$1.70 COP 5,228

-24.12%

Eggs

$1.90 ₱119

$2.89 COP 8,896

-34.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.82 ₱365

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-42.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 ₱248

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-60.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.23 ₱453

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-49.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 ₱153

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-38.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₱104

$1.58 COP 4,878

5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 ₱133

$2.15 COP 6,624

-1.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₱70.8

$2.30 COP 7,078

-50.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 ₱128

$2.00 COP 6,169

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$1.51 COP 4,646

28.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₱49.06

$1.20 COP 3,701

-35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.45

$1.28 COP 3,946

-59.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 ₱175

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-27.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 ₱441

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-49.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₱56.5

$1.71 COP 5,256

-47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ₱120

$2.74 COP 8,440

-29.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱17.04

$1.25 COP 3,834

-78.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 ₱727

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-85.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.4

$1.31 COP 4,016

-37.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.56

$2.17 COP 6,680

-88.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱131

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-74.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.0

$1.36 COP 4,172

-8.82%

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

$24.5K ₱1.5M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-10.80%

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

$17.2K ₱1.1M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-52.96%

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

$139 ₱8,720

$169 COP 519.2K

-17.56%

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

$14.38 ₱901

$13.57 COP 41.8K

5.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.35 ₱1,527

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-14.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.35 ₱1,903

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-33.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.31 ₱333

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-69.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 ₱353

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-15.19%

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

$142 ₱8,882

$803 COP 2.5M

-82.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,588 ₱538.4K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-6.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.53 ₱1,789

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-67.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.84 ₱1,306

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-64.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.3 ₱4,031

$139 COP 427.5K

-53.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.8 ₱3,186

$102 COP 314.0K

-50.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₱16.6K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-75.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 ₱9,869

$653 COP 2.0M

-75.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ₱28.8K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-76.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 ₱24.2K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-63.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,423 ₱151.9K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-41.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$985 ₱61.8K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-41.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$253 ₱15.8K

$655 COP 2.0M

-61.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

10.94

-38.30%

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

Last update for El Nido: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in El Nido versus $1,071 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 159% 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 $30.00 in El Nido versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $300 – making El Nido the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $742 in El Nido, $1,641 in Medellin – roughly 121% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,113 per month in El Nido and $2,462 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.

Public transport costs about 572% less in El Nido. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $142 per month in El Nido and $803 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 $742, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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 $742 in El Nido to $1,641 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.