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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $602 in Bataan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $994 in Bataan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,386 in Bataan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 66% more expensive than in Bataan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bataan 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$1.44 ₱88.6

310.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$17.43 ₱1,070

89.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$2.99 ₱184

148.49%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.48 ₱91.1

11.49%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.81 ₱49.60

35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.26 ₱15.94

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.48 ₱90.6

16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.60 ₱160

22.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.79 ₱110

-38.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.44 ₱88.5

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$0.99 ₱60.8

39.39%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.01 ₱123

8.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$8.10 ₱497

-44.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$4.04 ₱248

43.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$10.79 ₱662

-16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.88 ₱177

-19.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$2.08 ₱128

-49.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$3.64 ₱223

-58.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.46 ₱89.5

-6.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.45 ₱88.9

-22.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$2.53 ₱155

-53.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.08 ₱66.1

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.55 ₱33.50

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.44 ₱150

-8.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$8.89 ₱546

36.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.08 ₱66.6

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.50 ₱154

-0.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.26 ₱15.93

226.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$4.20 ₱258

890.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.83 ₱51.1

71.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.22 ₱13.44

786.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$2.14 ₱132

268.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.17 ₱71.7

-15.38%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$28.2K ₱1.7M

-37.54%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$28.7K ₱1.8M

-6.69%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$53.1 ₱3,260

56.33%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$23.13 ₱1,420

-58.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$26.33 ₱1,617

-10.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$34.38 ₱2,111

-26.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$4.54 ₱279

320.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.31 ₱387

-37.40%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$74.4 ₱4,570

324.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$4,358 ₱267.6K

37.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$46.59 ₱2,860

28.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$34.10 ₱2,094

-6.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$69.0 ₱4,235

47.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$116 ₱7,099

-7.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$98.5 ₱6,046

382.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$57.9 ₱3,555

546.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$315 ₱19.3K

169.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$170 ₱10.4K

323.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$407 ₱25.0K

53.59%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bataan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $98.5 in Bataan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 54% 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 $17.00 in Bataan. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $218, 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 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 54% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $98.5 in Bataan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 13% 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 $17.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $602 in Bataan versus $1,003 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 66% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.