Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alabang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alabang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $686 in Alabang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,093 in Alabang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,499 in Alabang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 48% more than Alabang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Alabang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Alabang 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.98 ₱246

50.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$21.12 ₱1,302

55.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$2.25 ₱139

215.11%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.64 ₱163

-35.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.97 ₱59.9

13.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.37 ₱22.93

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.26 ₱77.9

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.60 ₱160

18.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.62 ₱99.8

-32.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.17 ₱72.1

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.73 ₱44.83

89.04%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.97 ₱121

11.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.05 ₱435

-37.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.93 ₱180

92.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.69 ₱413

32.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.13 ₱131

9.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.38 ₱85.0

-23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.65 ₱102

-9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.63 ₱101

-15.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.21 ₱74.7

-4.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$3.27 ₱202

-64.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.55 ₱95.8

-42.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.73 ₱45.31

15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.07 ₱128

10.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.23 ₱446

47.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.21 ₱74.9

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.81 ₱112

36.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.28 ₱17.40

207.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.78 ₱48.10

88.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.22 ₱13.49

790.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.14 ₱132

261.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.13 ₱69.7

-15.93%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$25.8K ₱1.6M

-29.66%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

29.77%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$47.23 ₱2,912

74.15%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$32.50 ₱2,004

-70.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$29.42 ₱1,814

-17.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$33.84 ₱2,086

-23.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.52 ₱279

320.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.60 ₱222

9.17%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$65.8 ₱4,059

370.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,768 ₱170.7K

115.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$31.71 ₱1,955

84.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$18.01 ₱1,111

79.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$96.4 ₱5,944

6.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$52.7 ₱3,249

105.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$248 ₱15.3K

91.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$176 ₱10.9K

114.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$593 ₱36.5K

41.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$398 ₱24.5K

82.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,690 ₱165.9K

3.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$881 ₱54.3K

37.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.13

65.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alabang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $248 in Alabang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Alabang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $178 – making Alabang 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

Medellin vs Alabang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,029 in Alabang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alabang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $21.00 in Alabang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Alabang, where all-in costs run around $686, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Alabang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Alabang – 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 Alabang. 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.