Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bacolod Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bacolod

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $736 in Bacolod, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,190 in Bacolod, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,645 in Bacolod, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Bacolod, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Bacolod are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Bacolod 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.24 ₱138

167.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$17.17 ₱1,060

91.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.97 ₱245

78.59%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.96 ₱183

-42.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.64 ₱101

-32.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.21 ₱74.9

-35.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.28 ₱78.8

31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.94 ₱119

58.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.73 ₱107

-36.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.25 ₱76.8

0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.91 ₱55.9

51.65%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.77 ₱109

23.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.64 ₱595

-54.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.62 ₱470

-26.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.76 ₱479

14.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.85 ₱238

-39.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.73 ₱168

-61.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.58 ₱159

-41.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.65 ₱39.85

112.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.32 ₱143

-50.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.27 ₱140

-48.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.10 ₱67.9

-19.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.13 ₱69.5

-25.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.05 ₱188

-25.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.96 ₱59.1

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.99 ₱123

24.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.18 ₱10.86

377.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$10.62 ₱655

289.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.78 ₱48.43

88.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.24 ₱14.79

716.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.17 ₱134

256.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.24 ₱76.5

-23.39%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$25.3K ₱1.6M

-28.36%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$30.6K ₱1.9M

-13.47%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$103 ₱6,364

-20.25%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$35.67 ₱2,201

-73.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$27.89 ₱1,721

-13.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$26.22 ₱1,618

-1.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$2.58 ₱159

636.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.86 ₱300

-19.14%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$35.27 ₱2,176

777.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,330 ₱267.2K

37.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$55.3 ₱3,412

6.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$26.06 ₱1,608

24.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$50.1 ₱3,090

104.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$43.72 ₱2,698

148.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$227 ₱14.0K

109.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$148 ₱9,161

155.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$495 ₱30.5K

69.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$430 ₱26.5K

68.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$207 ₱12.8K

147.61%

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 Bacolod: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $227 in Bacolod. 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 148% higher in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Bacolod. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $218 in Bacolod – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bacolod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $736 in Bacolod – roughly 38% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,104 in Bacolod. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 290% less in Bacolod. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $35.27 in Bacolod. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bacolod, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Bacolod it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $736 in Bacolod to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Bacolod. 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.