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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $804 per month in Laoag City vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,206 per month in Laoag City vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,609 per month in Laoag City vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Laoag City is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Laoag City and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Laoag City 40% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 ₱213

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-41.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.29 ₱943

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-53.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 ₱210

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-52.78%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₱146

$1.70 COP 6,140

39.41%

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

$0.76 ₱47.09

$1.10 COP 3,966

-30.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱22.46

$0.72 COP 2,605

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₱80.7

$1.67 COP 6,022

-21.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱128

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-32.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱113

$1.06 COP 3,809

72.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱78.7

$1.25 COP 4,497

2.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱57.2

$1.39 COP 5,022

-33.09%

Eggs

$2.25 ₱139

$2.26 COP 8,168

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 ₱505

$4.33 COP 15.6K

88.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 ₱466

$5.84 COP 21.1K

29.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 ₱490

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-10.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.24 COP 8,099

31.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱93.5

$1.08 COP 3,882

40.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱167

$1.53 COP 5,522

77.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ₱98.5

$1.37 COP 4,950

16.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱137

$1.13 COP 4,078

96.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 ₱154

$1.12 COP 4,036

123.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱69.2

$0.85 COP 3,057

31.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.68

$0.91 COP 3,281

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 ₱186

$2.33 COP 8,414

29.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₱510

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-25.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₱62.4

$1.19 COP 4,309

-15.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱125

$2.37 COP 8,553

-14.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.48

$0.79 COP 2,838

-64.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.6

$1.44 COP 5,184

-43.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ₱16.04

$1.91 COP 6,901

-86.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 ₱128

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-74.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ₱65.6

$0.94 COP 3,385

12.77%

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

$26.3K ₱1.6M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

46.95%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-23.35%

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

$113 ₱6,939

$84.0 COP 303.1K

33.99%

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

$32.85 ₱2,026

$9.60 COP 34.7K

242.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.65 ₱1,644

$24.16 COP 87.2K

10.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.77 ₱911

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-42.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.33 ₱267

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-77.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 ₱371

$3.92 COP 14.1K

53.57%

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

$152 ₱9,386

$306 COP 1.1M

-50.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,276 ₱263.8K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-27.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.94 ₱2,834

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-20.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.11 ₱1,672

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-14.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ₱4,735

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-23.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.6 ₱3,303

$107 COP 386.8K

-50.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₱16.2K

$487 COP 1.8M

-45.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ₱12.6K

$368 COP 1.3M

-44.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ₱26.1K

$826 COP 3.0M

-48.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₱24.7K

$716 COP 2.6M

-44.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,376 ₱146.6K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-18.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 ₱10.1K

$546 COP 2.0M

-69.96%

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 Laoag City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $263 in Laoag 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 233% 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 $15.00 in Laoag City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Laoag 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

Laoag City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 29% more than Laoag City, 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 $1,206 per month in Laoag 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 Laoag City, 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 $804 in Laoag City and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $152 per month in Laoag City and $306 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 Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Laoag City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Laoag City costs $804 versus $1,034 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Laoag 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.