Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bataan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bataan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $599 in Bataan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $990 in Bataan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,381 in Bataan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 70% more expensive than Bataan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bataan 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.46 ₱88.5

307.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$17.76 ₱1,078

87.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.03 ₱184

138.61%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.53 ₱93.1

6.54%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.88 ₱53.3

23.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.26 ₱15.64

180.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.49 ₱90.3

16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.70 ₱164

19.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.87 ₱114

-43.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.41 ₱85.6

-8.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.01 ₱61.4

30.69%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.99 ₱121

14.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.22 ₱499

-47.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.17 ₱253

41.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.49 ₱637

-17.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.97 ₱180

-24.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.19 ₱133

-51.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.51 ₱213

-56.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.38 ₱83.9

2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.39 ₱84.1

-15.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.64 ₱161

-55.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.12 ₱67.8

-20.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.52 ₱31.37

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.54 ₱154

-11.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.67 ₱527

27.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.14 ₱69.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.52 ₱153

-5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.28 ₱17.19

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$4.20 ₱255

898.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.82 ₱49.78

71.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.24 ₱14.66

691.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.19 ₱133

253.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.16 ₱70.6

-12.93%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$28.1K ₱1.7M

-37.47%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.4K ₱1.7M

-6.79%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$53.0 ₱3,216

57.98%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$23.36 ₱1,419

-59.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$26.45 ₱1,606

-8.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$34.15 ₱2,074

-25.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.55 ₱276

320.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.26 ₱380

-34.50%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$74.4 ₱4,515

319.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,398 ₱267.1K

36.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$46.18 ₱2,804

25.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$33.61 ₱2,041

-3.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$68.7 ₱4,174

44.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$116 ₱7,049

-6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$95.6 ₱5,806

404.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$58.4 ₱3,543

550.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$312 ₱18.9K

168.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$175 ₱10.6K

313.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$395 ₱24.0K

36.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.17

117.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bataan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $95.6 in Bataan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 37% 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 Bataan. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $219, 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 Bataan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bataan is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 37% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $95.6 in Bataan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bataan – 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 $599 in Bataan versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bataan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bataan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bataan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Bataan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.