Cost of Living Comparison Between General Trias and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between General Trias and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $729 per month in General Trias vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,191 per month in General Trias vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,654 per month in General Trias vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

General Trias is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both General Trias and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – General Trias 46% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 ₱273

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-24.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.00 ₱1,214

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-39.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.83 ₱172

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-60.86%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ₱128

$1.63 COP 5,687

28.83%

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

$0.43 ₱26.07

$1.09 COP 3,821

-60.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.29

$0.73 COP 2,548

-54.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ₱77.1

$1.74 COP 6,065

-27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₱103

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-47.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₱125

$1.05 COP 3,662

96.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ₱75.3

$1.29 COP 4,515

-3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₱63.4

$1.32 COP 4,617

-21.21%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱123

$2.27 COP 7,927

-10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 ₱421

$4.35 COP 15.2K

59.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 ₱255

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-28.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.35 ₱446

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-14.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 ₱266

$2.25 COP 7,844

94.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱92.6

$1.07 COP 3,733

42.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱183

$1.52 COP 5,322

98.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₱98.8

$1.42 COP 4,964

14.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 ₱173

$1.17 COP 4,084

143.59%

Onion (1kg)

$4.07 ₱247

$1.17 COP 4,077

247.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 ₱99.7

$0.89 COP 3,096

84.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱61.9

$0.90 COP 3,146

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₱199

$2.25 COP 7,837

45.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.01 ₱547

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-18.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₱97.6

$1.14 COP 3,977

41.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱125

$2.38 COP 8,301

-13.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.69

$0.84 COP 2,916

-69.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱47.70

$1.41 COP 4,912

-43.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.61

$1.90 COP 6,634

-87.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱126

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-73.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.0

$1.01 COP 3,509

13.86%

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

$12.8K ₱774.8K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-27.41%

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

$20.3K ₱1.2M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-23.30%

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

$35.61 ₱2,162

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-57.45%

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

$32.66 ₱1,983

$9.45 COP 33.0K

245.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.70 ₱1,439

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-1.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 ₱2,021

$25.31 COP 88.3K

31.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₱275

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-76.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ₱439

$4.10 COP 14.3K

76.34%

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

$81.4 ₱4,945

$312 COP 1.1M

-73.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,750 ₱167.0K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-54.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.72 ₱1,926

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-45.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.26 ₱1,777

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-10.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 ₱5,912

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ₱5,758

$109 COP 378.8K

-12.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$109 ₱6,628

$482 COP 1.7M

-77.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱10.7K

$379 COP 1.3M

-53.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱10.8K

$837 COP 2.9M

-78.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₱23.8K

$723 COP 2.5M

-45.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,175 ₱132.1K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-23.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$883 ₱53.6K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-27.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

13.43

-39.46%

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

Last update for General Trias: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $109 in General Trias versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in General Trias versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in General Trias 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

General Trias vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 39% more than General Trias, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,093 per month in General Trias and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in General Trias, 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 $729 in General Trias and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $81.4 per month in General Trias and $312 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 General Trias, where all-in costs run around $729, than in Medellin at $1,017. In General Trias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. General Trias costs $729 versus $1,017 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 General Trias. 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.