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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $684 per month in Marikina vs $651 in Medan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,072 per month in Marikina vs $982 in Medan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,459 per month in Marikina vs $1,313 in Medan, rent included.

Marikina costs about 5% more than Medan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Marikina and Medan are more affordable than the global median – Marikina 49% lower, Medan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ₱214

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

89.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.45 ₱1,754

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

167.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.46 ₱214

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

7.45%

Cappuccino

$2.69 ₱166

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

49.44%

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

$0.72 ₱44.50

$0.40 Rp 7,122

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.94

$0.25 Rp 4,419

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ₱66.9

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

-31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₱162

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

-48.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₱127

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

73.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ₱89.7

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

23.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ₱68.0

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

26.44%

Eggs

$2.26 ₱139

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

43.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 ₱490

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

-18.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱284

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

18.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 ₱489

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

15.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₱167

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

18.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

92.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

84.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ₱133

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

129.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 ₱205

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

348.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 ₱179

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

125.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$0.46 Rp 8,163

147.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₱42.57

$0.46 Rp 8,201

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₱176

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

14.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 ₱540

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

-44.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₱76.6

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

-8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱128

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

-34.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱28.46

$0.30 Rp 5,318

53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.15

$0.52 Rp 9,345

46.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.64

$0.22 Rp 3,931

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₱223

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

-42.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

34.15%

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

$34.0K ₱2.1M

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

21.25%

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

$17.4K ₱1.1M

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

-48.51%

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

$110 ₱6,765

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

31.56%

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

$13.62 ₱840

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

274.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.05 ₱1,606

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

-22.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.93 ₱2,585

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

79.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ₱393

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

78.21%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$126 Rp 2.3M

154.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,131 ₱69.8K

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

-89.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.42 ₱2,862

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

-29.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ₱1,606

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

-38.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.5 ₱3,482

$116 Rp 2.1M

-51.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.95 ₱1,662

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

-58.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₱11.0K

$191 Rp 3.4M

-7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.2 ₱5,435

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-10.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₱18.3K

$544 Rp 9.7M

-45.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 ₱10.4K

$231 Rp 4.1M

-27.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,140 ₱70.3K

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

-3.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$478 ₱29.5K

$567 Rp 10.1M

-15.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$398 ₱24.5K

$215 Rp 3.8M

85.11%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $178 in Marikina versus $191 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 $28.00 in Marikina versus $11.00 in Medan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $187 – 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: $684 in Marikina, $651 in Medan – roughly 5% apart. Marikina costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,027 per month in Marikina and $977 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 $684 in Marikina and $651 in Medan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $321 per month in Marikina and $126 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 $684 in Marikina and $651 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.