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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $766 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,168 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,570 in Baguio.

Living in Medellin is roughly 119% more expensive than in Baguio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Baguio is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$4.03 ₱253

99.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$16.53 ₱1,037

189.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$2.77 ₱174

257.04%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.84 ₱116

70.11%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.60 ₱37.76

218.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.33 ₱20.84

357.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.03 ₱64.3

202.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.57 ₱98.3

266.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.66 ₱104

-13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.15 ₱72.2

116.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.01 ₱63.3

75.25%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.02 ₱127

46.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$4.99 ₱313

101.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.47 ₱218

191.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.80 ₱489

83.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.31 ₱145

79.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.53 ₱95.8

5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.30 ₱145

-2.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.04 ₱65.1

116.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.65 ₱104

23.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.77 ₱111

-12.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.67 ₱41.75

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.52 ₱32.90

151.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.98 ₱187

30.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.49 ₱533

65.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.96 ₱60.2

81.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.04 ₱128

40.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.23 ₱14.36

430.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$12.81 ₱803

528.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.81 ₱50.9

61.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.23 ₱14.37

852.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.88 ₱118

363.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.20 ₱75.0

14.17%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

29.61%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

87.74%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$138 ₱8,659

28.42%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$17.68 ₱1,109

-21.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$23.45 ₱1,471

26.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$21.64 ₱1,357

107.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$5.27 ₱331

224.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.13 ₱322

29.63%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$131 ₱8,230

519.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$10.8K ₱674.6K

-14.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$29.37 ₱1,842

204.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$19.10 ₱1,198

208.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$72.9 ₱4,569

89.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$56.0 ₱3,510

82.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$399 ₱25.0K

165.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$200 ₱12.5K

231.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$853 ₱53.5K

121.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$463 ₱29.0K

121.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,603 ₱163.3K

60.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$928 ₱58.2K

80.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$179 ₱11.3K

277.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Baguio: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $399 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 278% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $17.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $174 per month, with Baguio cheaper across the board.

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 119% 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.

Average pay runs 278% higher in Medellin, 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $399 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $766 in Baguio – a 119% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 528% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $766 in Baguio versus $1,681 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 $766 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 119% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.