Cost of Living Comparison Between Marikina and Medan Cost of Living Comparison Between Marikina and Medan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $664 per month in Marikina vs $640 in Medan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,053 per month in Marikina vs $988 in Medan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,441 per month in Marikina vs $1,336 in Medan, rent included.

Marikina costs about 4% more than Medan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Marikina and Medan are more affordable than the global median – Marikina 50% lower, Medan 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ₱213

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

84.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.88 ₱1,778

$10.72 Rp 191.8K

169.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.54 ₱218

$3.28 Rp 58.7K

7.93%

Cappuccino

$2.68 ₱165

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

48.89%

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

$0.68 ₱42.10

$0.39 Rp 7,031

74.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₱26.95

$0.27 Rp 4,855

62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ₱66.3

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-30.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₱167

$5.24 Rp 93.8K

-48.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₱129

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

77.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

21.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.8

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

28.92%

Eggs

$2.27 ₱140

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

48.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 ₱499

$9.39 Rp 168.1K

-13.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 ₱281

$3.71 Rp 66.4K

22.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.57 ₱466

$6.83 Rp 122.2K

10.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

16.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 ₱123

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

99.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

69.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 ₱135

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

148.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 ₱203

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

340.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₱181

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

131.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.7

$0.45 Rp 8,138

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₱44.80

$0.49 Rp 8,778

48.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.48 Rp 44.3K

8.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 ₱553

$15.90 Rp 284.5K

-43.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₱73.3

$1.36 Rp 24.3K

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱128

$3.17 Rp 56.7K

-34.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱28.06

$0.32 Rp 5,810

43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 Rp 171.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.31

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

32.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱7.84

$0.22 Rp 3,944

-40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₱221

$6.17 Rp 110.5K

-41.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

32.93%

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

$33.6K ₱2.1M

$28.0K Rp 501.3M

19.98%

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

$17.4K ₱1.1M

$33.9K Rp 606.5M

-48.60%

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

$110 ₱6,800

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

32.04%

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

$13.50 ₱831

$3.67 Rp 65.7K

267.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.08 ₱1,605

$34.25 Rp 612.7K

-23.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.72 ₱2,568

$23.20 Rp 415.1K

79.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 Rp 127.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.35 ₱391

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

81.95%

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

$322 ₱19.8K

$123 Rp 2.2M

162.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,163 ₱71.6K

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

-89.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.46 ₱2,860

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

-30.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.76 ₱1,586

$42.18 Rp 754.5K

-38.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.7 ₱3,613

$115 Rp 2.1M

-49.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.03 ₱1,664

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

-58.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.7K

$196 Rp 3.5M

-10.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.4 ₱5,383

$100 Rp 1.8M

-12.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 ₱17.8K

$530 Rp 9.5M

-45.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 ₱10.5K

$232 Rp 4.2M

-26.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,150 ₱70.8K

$1,110 Rp 19.8M

3.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$485 ₱29.8K

$550 Rp 9.8M

-11.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$395 ₱24.3K

$213 Rp 3.8M

85.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

9.25

-32.43%

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

Last update for Marikina: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $175 in Marikina versus $196 in Medan. 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 85% higher in Marikina, 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 $29.00 in Marikina versus $11.00 in Medan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $186 – making Medan 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

Marikina vs Medan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $664 in Marikina, $640 in Medan – roughly 4% apart. Marikina costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $997 per month in Marikina and $961 in Medan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medan, 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 $664 in Marikina and $640 in Medan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $322 per month in Marikina and $123 in Medan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $664 in Marikina and $640 in Medan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Medan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Medan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marikina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.