Cost of Living Comparison Between Iligan City and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Iligan City and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $791 per month in Iligan City vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,217 per month in Iligan City vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,643 per month in Iligan City vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Iligan City is about 23% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Iligan City and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Iligan City 41% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 ₱212

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-41.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.64 ₱1,088

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-46.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 ₱210

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-52.78%

Cappuccino

$2.38 ₱147

$1.70 COP 6,140

40.00%

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

$0.79 ₱48.47

$1.10 COP 3,966

-28.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱24.09

$0.72 COP 2,605

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₱81.0

$1.67 COP 6,022

-21.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱134

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-30.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.06 COP 3,809

111.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱75.2

$1.25 COP 4,497

-2.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱60.9

$1.39 COP 5,022

-28.78%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱129

$2.26 COP 8,168

-7.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 ₱486

$4.33 COP 15.6K

81.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.01 ₱309

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-14.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-13.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₱179

$2.24 COP 8,099

29.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱93.5

$1.08 COP 3,882

40.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 ₱168

$1.53 COP 5,522

78.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ₱96.6

$1.37 COP 4,950

14.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.13 COP 4,078

105.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 ₱155

$1.12 COP 4,036

124.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱69.0

$0.85 COP 3,057

31.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.53

$0.91 COP 3,281

-20.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 ₱177

$2.33 COP 8,414

23.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 ₱513

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-25.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.3

$1.19 COP 4,309

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱125

$2.37 COP 8,553

-14.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.92

$0.79 COP 2,838

-67.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.7

$1.44 COP 5,184

-43.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.89

$1.91 COP 6,901

-87.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₱135

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-72.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.6

$0.94 COP 3,385

17.02%

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

$26.4K ₱1.6M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

47.14%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-22.69%

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

$112 ₱6,894

$84.0 COP 303.1K

33.11%

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

$32.67 ₱2,015

$9.60 COP 34.7K

240.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.33 ₱1,686

$24.16 COP 87.2K

13.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.68 ₱2,078

$25.88 COP 93.4K

30.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.39 ₱271

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-76.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.97 ₱368

$3.92 COP 14.1K

52.30%

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

$152 ₱9,386

$306 COP 1.1M

-50.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,317 ₱266.2K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-27.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.59 ₱2,812

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-21.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.25 ₱1,619

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-17.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 ₱4,594

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-25.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.2 ₱3,343

$107 COP 386.8K

-49.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱16.6K

$487 COP 1.8M

-44.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₱11.0K

$368 COP 1.3M

-51.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₱35.8K

$826 COP 3.0M

-29.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 ₱24.4K

$716 COP 2.6M

-44.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,220 ₱137.0K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-24.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$203 ₱12.5K

$546 COP 2.0M

-62.78%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Iligan City 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 169% 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 $18.00 in Iligan City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $213 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

Monthly costs with rent: $791 in Iligan City, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 31% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,186 per month in Iligan City 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 Iligan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 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.

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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iligan City, where all-in costs run around $791, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Iligan City 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 $791 in Iligan City to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.