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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $761 in Bacolod, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,212 in Bacolod, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,664 in Bacolod, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Bacolod, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Bacolod are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Bacolod 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.17 ₱133

183.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$16.61 ₱1,022

96.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.92 ₱241

87.24%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.84 ₱175

-39.44%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.62 ₱100

-35.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.22 ₱75.4

-36.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.30 ₱80.2

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.91 ₱117

65.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.75 ₱108

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.20 ₱74.2

8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.92 ₱56.8

52.17%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.84 ₱114

17.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.06 ₱619

-56.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.32 ₱451

-19.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.76 ₱478

11.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.90 ₱240

-41.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.72 ₱167

-59.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$2.70 ₱166

-43.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.64 ₱39.69

110.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.32 ₱143

-51.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.17 ₱134

-47.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.11 ₱68.1

-23.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.08 ₱66.5

-15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.94 ₱181

-20.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.99 ₱61.1

21.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.96 ₱121

27.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.18 ₱11.27

366.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$10.79 ₱664

276.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.78 ₱48.31

82.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.24 ₱14.71

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.15 ₱132

256.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.24 ₱76.3

-20.16%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.5K ₱1.5M

-26.30%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$31.1K ₱1.9M

-14.26%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$100.0 ₱6,154

-19.16%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$36.07 ₱2,221

-72.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$27.07 ₱1,667

-10.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$26.81 ₱1,651

-6.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$2.67 ₱164

617.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.07 ₱312

-21.50%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$34.91 ₱2,149

774.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,322 ₱266.1K

40.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$55.5 ₱3,416

4.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$26.52 ₱1,633

21.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$49.55 ₱3,050

103.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$44.74 ₱2,755

140.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$229 ₱14.1K

108.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$146 ₱8,962

158.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$495 ₱30.5K

70.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$427 ₱26.3K

70.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$214 ₱13.2K

187.67%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bacolod: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $229 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 188% 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 – $193 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $761 in Bacolod – roughly 35% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,141 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 276% less in Bacolod. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $34.91 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 $761, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $761 in Bacolod to $1,031 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.