Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baguio Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baguio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $779 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,139 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,500 in Baguio.

Living in Medellin is roughly 33% more expensive than Baguio, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Baguio 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.59 ₱222

64.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$13.50 ₱833

142.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$2.60 ₱160

176.92%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.34 ₱145

-27.35%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.70 ₱43.29

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.40 ₱24.72

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.46 ₱89.9

14.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.00 ₱123

55.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.89 ₱116

-43.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.25 ₱77.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.11 ₱68.6

25.23%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.20 ₱135

2.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.08 ₱560

-52.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.70 ₱228

57.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.42 ₱519

4.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.63 ₱162

-14.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.87 ₱115

-42.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.26 ₱140

-32.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.18 ₱72.6

16.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.82 ₱112

-37.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.29 ₱141

-51.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.72 ₱44.67

18.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.77 ₱47.61

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.35 ₱206

-30.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.17 ₱566

21.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.08 ₱66.4

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.26 ₱140

4.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.26 ₱15.90

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$10.56 ₱652

289.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.87 ₱53.7

65.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.22 ₱13.54

768.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.45 ₱151

227.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.11 ₱68.3

-15.32%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$32.3K ₱2.0M

-44.43%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

30.66%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$146 ₱8,987

-42.37%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$34.10 ₱2,103

-71.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$25.99 ₱1,603

-7.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$21.76 ₱1,342

18.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.16 ₱256

357.69%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.93 ₱366

-33.90%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$153 ₱9,455

99.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,642 ₱286.3K

27.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$49.11 ₱3,029

17.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.25 ₱1,681

16.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$76.3 ₱4,706

30.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$45.91 ₱2,832

133.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$346 ₱21.3K

40.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$142 ₱8,777

158.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$544 ₱33.6K

51.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$264 ₱16.3K

171.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,423 ₱149.4K

20.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$949 ₱58.5K

48.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$186 ₱11.5K

193.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.5

198.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Baguio: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $346 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 194% 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 $13.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $205, 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 Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Medellin pays 194% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $346 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $779 in Baguio – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 289% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $779 in Baguio versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baguio but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Baguio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baguio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $779 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baguio hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Baguio are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baguio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.