Cost of Living Comparison Between Mambajao and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mambajao and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $632 per month in Mambajao vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,001 per month in Mambajao vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,370 per month in Mambajao vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Mambajao is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mambajao and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Mambajao 53% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 ₱95.6

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-74.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.49 ₱1,634

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-19.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 ₱272

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-37.80%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ₱187

$1.71 COP 6,115

77.78%

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

$1.41 ₱86.9

$1.10 COP 3,924

28.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.77

$0.78 COP 2,781

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ₱69.2

$1.68 COP 5,997

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₱168

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-11.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱82.0

$1.09 COP 3,906

22.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₱55.9

$1.26 COP 4,508

-27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₱54.1

$1.38 COP 4,922

-36.23%

Eggs

$1.41 ₱87.0

$2.19 COP 7,827

-35.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 ₱490

$4.40 COP 15.7K

80.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 ₱260

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-25.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 ₱405

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-26.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱184

$2.34 COP 8,349

27.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 ₱83.0

$1.06 COP 3,777

27.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$1.50 COP 5,374

80.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ₱98.3

$1.38 COP 4,924

15.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 ₱147

$1.15 COP 4,111

107.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ₱161

$1.16 COP 4,155

124.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱68.9

$0.89 COP 3,182

25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.64

$0.84 COP 2,997

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₱180

$2.28 COP 8,145

27.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.16 ₱503

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-23.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₱66.2

$1.20 COP 4,284

-10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱80.3

$2.47 COP 8,824

-47.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₱12.31

$0.86 COP 3,056

-76.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.4

$1.47 COP 5,264

-44.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.52

$1.96 COP 7,009

-88.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱134

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-71.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₱86.8

$0.95 COP 3,409

48.42%

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

$27.1K ₱1.7M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

49.43%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-23.80%

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

$84.0 ₱5,181

$82.3 COP 293.7K

2.16%

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

$32.13 ₱1,981

$9.50 COP 33.9K

238.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.09 ₱1,362

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-8.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.64 ₱2,074

$25.89 COP 92.4K

29.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 ₱277

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-76.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 ₱362

$3.93 COP 14.0K

49.36%

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

$150 ₱9,227

$309 COP 1.1M

-51.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,285 ₱264.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-28.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.28 ₱2,792

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-22.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.22 ₱1,617

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-18.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ₱4,648

$103 COP 366.4K

-26.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 ₱3,284

$108 COP 387.2K

-50.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$132 ₱8,138

$476 COP 1.7M

-72.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 ₱5,363

$379 COP 1.4M

-77.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 ₱18.1K

$838 COP 3.0M

-64.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 ₱11.8K

$724 COP 2.6M

-73.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,460 ₱151.7K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-11.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$885 ₱54.6K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-26.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$154 ₱9,498

$512 COP 1.8M

-69.90%

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 Mambajao: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $132 in Mambajao versus $476 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 232% 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 $26.00 in Mambajao versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $188 – making Mambajao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Mambajao vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 60% more than Mambajao, 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 $948 per month in Mambajao and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mambajao, 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 $632 in Mambajao and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $150 per month in Mambajao and $309 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 Mambajao, where all-in costs run around $632, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Mambajao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mambajao costs $632 versus $1,013 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 Mambajao. 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.