Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaluyong and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaluyong and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $840 in Mandaluyong versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,407 in Mandaluyong versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,973 in Mandaluyong versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Mandaluyong costs roughly 49% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mandaluyong is 39% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 ₱301

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-40.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.07 ₱1,070

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-64.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.64 ₱228

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-61.36%

Cappuccino

$2.17 ₱136

$2.94 COP 9,040

-26.19%

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

$1.02 ₱63.8

$1.86 COP 5,735

-45.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.92

$1.46 COP 4,479

-63.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ₱74.8

$3.21 COP 9,882

-62.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₱165

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-53.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ₱103

$1.44 COP 4,428

13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ₱84.6

$2.40 COP 7,389

-43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.2

$1.70 COP 5,228

-42.35%

Eggs

$2.26 ₱142

$2.89 COP 8,896

-21.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.09 ₱319

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-49.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-51.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 ₱441

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-50.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ₱211

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-15.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₱118

$1.58 COP 4,878

19.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 ₱191

$2.15 COP 6,624

41.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 ₱116

$2.30 COP 7,078

-19.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 ₱140

$2.00 COP 6,169

12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 ₱165

$1.51 COP 4,646

74.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₱39.03

$1.20 COP 3,701

-48.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.78

$1.28 COP 3,946

-59.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ₱186

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-22.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.51 ₱534

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-39.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱57.9

$1.71 COP 5,256

-46.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱129

$2.74 COP 8,440

-24.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₱23.28

$1.25 COP 3,834

-70.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.07

$1.31 COP 4,016

-41.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.75

$2.17 COP 6,680

-88.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-77.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱71.6

$1.36 COP 4,172

-16.18%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-21.70%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-46.91%

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

$142 ₱8,886

$169 COP 519.2K

-15.99%

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

$17.85 ₱1,119

$13.57 COP 41.8K

31.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.76 ₱1,489

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-16.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.47 ₱1,973

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-31.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.11 ₱383

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-8.12%

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

$134 ₱8,424

$803 COP 2.5M

-83.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,110 ₱571.1K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-0.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.41 ₱1,781

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-67.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.01 ₱1,756

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-52.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 ₱4,424

$139 COP 427.5K

-49.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 ₱3,563

$102 COP 314.0K

-44.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₱38.5K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-42.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ₱14.9K

$653 COP 2.0M

-63.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 ₱76.5K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-36.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 ₱44.6K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-32.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,800 ₱175.5K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-32.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 ₱34.3K

$655 COP 2.0M

-16.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

10.94

-38.30%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mandaluyong: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $614 in Mandaluyong and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Mandaluyong vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $300 per month, with Mandaluyong 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

Mandaluyong vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandaluyong and Medellin differ by about 95% in total monthly costs ($840 vs $1,641 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% 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: $614 in Mandaluyong versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $134 in Mandaluyong versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaluyong – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $840 in Mandaluyong versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaluyong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.