Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Albay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Albay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $772 in Albay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,205 in Albay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,638 in Albay.

Living in Medellin is roughly 31% more expensive than Albay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Albay 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.49 ₱215

71.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$18.06 ₱1,113

81.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.33 ₱205

112.91%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.46 ₱152

-30.49%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.77 ₱47.44

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.39 ₱24.14

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.35 ₱83.3

24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.09 ₱129

46.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.92 ₱119

-43.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.21 ₱74.5

4.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.96 ₱59.1

43.75%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.06 ₱127

6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.99 ₱493

-44.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.15 ₱256

35.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.50 ₱462

18.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.85 ₱176

-17.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.58 ₱97.7

-32.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.69 ₱166

-44.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.57 ₱96.6

-12.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.20 ₱135

-47.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.53 ₱156

-54.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.07 ₱65.7

-16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.72 ₱44.23

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.78 ₱172

-17.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.52 ₱526

24.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.20 ₱73.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.96 ₱121

26.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.28 ₱17.28

207.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.81 ₱50.1

81.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.24 ₱14.85

716.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.18 ₱134

255.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.14 ₱70.0

-16.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

-31.60%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

29.76%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$110 ₱6,806

-25.48%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$32.34 ₱1,994

-70.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$27.56 ₱1,699

-12.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$33.25 ₱2,050

-22.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.51 ₱278

321.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.87 ₱362

-33.05%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$152 ₱9,356

103.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,241 ₱261.5K

40.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$45.77 ₱2,822

28.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$26.78 ₱1,651

20.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$75.8 ₱4,674

35.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$53.3 ₱3,287

103.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$268 ₱16.5K

77.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$177 ₱10.9K

113.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$594 ₱36.6K

41.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$402 ₱24.8K

80.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,794 ₱172.3K

-0.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$889 ₱54.8K

36.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$163 ₱10.0K

214.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Albay: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $268 in Albay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 214% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $18.00 in Albay. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $204, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Albay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Albay differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $772 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 214% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $268 in Albay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $152 in Albay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Albay – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $772 in Albay versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albay but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Albay 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 Albay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.