Cost of Living Comparison Between Marawi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Marawi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $717 in Marawi versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,102 in Marawi versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,487 in Marawi versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Marawi costs roughly 57% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Marawi is 48% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 ₱226

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-54.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.46 ₱906

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-69.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.77 ₱174

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-71.99%

Cappuccino

$2.16 ₱136

$3.13 COP 9,873

-30.99%

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

$0.58 ₱36.39

$1.91 COP 6,019

-69.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱19.06

$1.51 COP 4,763

-80.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₱79.2

$3.12 COP 9,853

-59.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-69.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₱106

$1.44 COP 4,558

17.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ₱72.5

$2.49 COP 7,843

-53.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱59.8

$1.77 COP 5,595

-46.33%

Eggs

$1.92 ₱120

$2.96 COP 9,336

-35.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.30 ₱332

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-47.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 ₱257

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-59.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.99 ₱438

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-51.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 ₱142

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-45.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₱101

$1.61 COP 5,073

0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₱150

$2.25 COP 7,083

6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 ₱73.8

$2.25 COP 7,104

-47.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 ₱126

$2.04 COP 6,444

-0.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.54 COP 4,842

26.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₱48.39

$1.17 COP 3,691

-34.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.67

$1.31 COP 4,121

-60.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.21 ₱201

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-17.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 ₱426

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-51.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₱50.5

$1.74 COP 5,498

-53.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₱118

$2.87 COP 9,053

-34.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.27

$1.22 COP 3,834

-78.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.46 ₱593

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-88.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.84

$1.31 COP 4,129

-41.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.47

$2.19 COP 6,899

-89.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 ₱110

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-79.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱68.0

$1.37 COP 4,306

-20.44%

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

$20.3K ₱1.3M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-26.90%

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

$22.1K ₱1.4M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-38.23%

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

$108 ₱6,755

$177 COP 559.3K

-39.20%

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

$12.81 ₱803

$13.88 COP 43.8K

-7.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 ₱1,530

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-17.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.16 ₱2,266

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-19.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.31 ₱270

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-74.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 ₱306

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-26.62%

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

$131 ₱8,229

$813 COP 2.6M

-83.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,059 ₱505.0K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-12.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.86 ₱1,997

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-64.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 ₱1,199

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-67.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 ₱4,404

$138 COP 435.9K

-49.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,444

$102 COP 322.1K

-46.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.4K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-75.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 ₱10.8K

$663 COP 2.1M

-74.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 ₱30.8K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-73.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ₱22.0K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-65.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,956 ₱185.2K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-29.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,034 ₱64.8K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-38.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 ₱17.8K

$678 COP 2.1M

-58.17%

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 Marawi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Marawi and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 139% 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: $14.00 in Marawi vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $305 per month, with Marawi 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

Marawi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marawi and Medellin differ by about 134% in total monthly costs ($717 vs $1,681 including rent). Marawi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 139% 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: $262 in Marawi versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $717 per month in Marawi versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Marawi runs roughly 751% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $717 in Marawi versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marawi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Marawi 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.

Expats usually find Marawi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 134% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.