🙂A single person spends $792 per month in Iligan City vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,213 per month in Iligan City vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,633 per month in Iligan City vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Iligan City is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Iligan City and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Iligan City41% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Iligan City
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.60₱219
$5.95COP 20.8K
-39.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.38₱1,056
$33.33COP 116.3K
-47.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.35₱203
$7.23COP 25.2K
-53.67%
Cappuccino
$2.35₱143
$1.63COP 5,687
44.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78₱47.27
$1.09COP 3,821
-28.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40₱24.12
$0.73COP 2,548
-45.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.34₱81.5
$1.74COP 6,065
-22.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08₱127
$3.23COP 11.3K
-35.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Iligan City
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.28₱138
$1.05COP 3,662
117.14%
White Bread(500g)
$1.21₱73.5
$1.29COP 4,515
-6.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.94₱56.8
$1.32COP 4,617
-28.79%
Eggs
$2.09₱127
$2.27COP 7,927
-7.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.81₱474
$4.35COP 15.2K
79.54%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.00₱303
$5.88COP 20.5K
-14.97%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.63₱463
$8.61COP 30.0K
-11.38%
Apples(1kg)
$2.87₱174
$2.25COP 7,844
27.56%
Banana(1kg)
$1.53₱92.7
$1.07COP 3,733
42.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.67₱162
$1.52COP 5,322
75.66%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.55₱93.9
$1.42COP 4,964
9.15%
Potato(1kg)
$2.23₱135
$1.17COP 4,084
90.60%
Onion(1kg)
$2.58₱157
$1.17COP 4,077
120.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.12₱67.9
$0.89COP 3,096
25.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77₱46.57
$0.90COP 3,146
-14.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.91₱176
$2.25COP 7,837
29.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.03₱487
$11.04COP 38.5K
-27.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21₱73.6
$1.14COP 3,977
6.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96₱119
$2.38COP 8,301
-17.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Iligan City
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.26₱15.74
$0.84COP 2,916
-69.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.95COP 146.4K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.81₱49.48
$1.41COP 4,912
-42.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.22₱13.35
$1.90COP 6,634
-88.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.09₱127
$7.75COP 27.0K
-73.03%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.10₱67.0
$1.01COP 3,509
8.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K₱1.6M
$17.6KCOP 61.4M
52.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.7K₱1.3M
$26.5KCOP 92.5M
-21.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iligan City
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$115₱6,958
$83.7COP 292.1K
36.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.67₱1,984
$9.45COP 33.0K
245.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.08₱1,644
$24.11COP 84.1K
12.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Iligan City
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.54₱2,036
$25.31COP 88.3K
32.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.48₱272
$19.14COP 66.8K
-76.59%
Cinema Ticket
$6.08₱369
$4.10COP 14.3K
48.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Iligan City
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$151₱9,167
$312COP 1.1M
-51.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,286₱260.3K
$5,993COP 20.9M
-28.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Iligan City
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.56₱2,827
$58.0COP 202.6K
-19.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.49₱1,608
$32.56COP 113.6K
-18.64%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.6₱4,653
$99.6COP 347.7K
-23.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$53.6₱3,257
$109COP 378.8K
-50.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Iligan City
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$269₱16.4K
$482COP 1.7M
-44.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$180₱10.9K
$379COP 1.3M
-52.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$595₱36.1K
$837COP 2.9M
-28.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$401₱24.4K
$723COP 2.5M
-44.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,494₱151.4K
$2,840COP 9.9M
-12.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$993₱60.3K
$1,223COP 4.3M
-18.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Iligan City
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$200₱12.1K
$541COP 1.9M
-63.07%
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 Iligan City: June 9, 2026
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $269 in Iligan City 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.
💰Salaries run about 171% 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 $17.00 in Iligan City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Iligan City 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
Iligan City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Iligan City and Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $792 in Iligan City, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 28% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Iligan City compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,189 per month in Iligan City and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Iligan City and Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Iligan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Iligan City and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iligan City, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Iligan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Iligan City and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $792 in Iligan City to $1,017 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Iligan City and Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Iligan City. 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.
Iligan City vs other spots: cost of living compared