Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,188 in Makati versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Makati is roughly 15% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$6.16 COP 20.1K

6.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$32.60 COP 106.1K

38.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-34.74%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$1.72 COP 5,600

71.51%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$1.05 COP 3,420

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.77 COP 2,515

-24.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.69 COP 5,488

38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$3.17 COP 10.3K

12.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.05 COP 3,423

103.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.30 COP 4,236

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.40 COP 4,544

-20.71%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.16 COP 7,047

7.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$4.39 COP 14.3K

82.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-23.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-10.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$2.28 COP 7,426

99.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.11 COP 3,604

78.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$1.53 COP 4,983

77.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$1.35 COP 4,410

68.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$1.13 COP 3,674

205.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$1.13 COP 3,692

147.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$0.85 COP 2,753

34.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.91 COP 2,975

8.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$2.34 COP 7,630

27.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-35.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.20 COP 3,909

4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.49 COP 8,104

-10.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.84 COP 2,728

-39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-91.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$1.42 COP 4,623

-46.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$1.92 COP 6,235

-93.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-54.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$0.99 COP 3,223

16.16%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

88.92%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-17.28%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

109.96%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$9.95 COP 32.4K

177.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$24.18 COP 78.7K

48.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$25.08 COP 81.7K

118.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-37.18%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$3.98 COP 13.0K

106.03%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$305 COP 993.5K

6.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

26.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$58.1 COP 189.2K

1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$32.20 COP 104.8K

11.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$101 COP 327.9K

-16.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$108 COP 350.8K

14.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$477 COP 1.6M

37.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$376 COP 1.2M

3.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

169.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$730 COP 2.4M

37.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

87.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

171.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

$617 COP 2.0M

-1.89%

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 Makati: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Makati vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Makati versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,188 per month in Makati versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 1033% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,188 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.