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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $602 in Bataan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $998 in Bataan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,393 in Bataan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 72% more expensive than Bataan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bataan 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.45 ₱89.7

308.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$17.40 ₱1,073

88.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.11 ₱192

131.51%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.55 ₱95.6

9.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.83 ₱51.2

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.26 ₱15.85

176.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.48 ₱91.2

12.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.61 ₱161

18.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.85 ₱114

-42.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.41 ₱86.7

-11.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.93 ₱57.6

49.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.00 ₱123

13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.08 ₱498

-46.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.14 ₱256

41.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.46 ₱645

-15.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.88 ₱178

-22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.17 ₱134

-50.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.62 ₱223

-57.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.40 ₱86.6

-2.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.38 ₱85.1

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.62 ₱162

-57.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.07 ₱66.1

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.54 ₱33.33

68.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.44 ₱151

-4.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.07 ₱559

22.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.09 ₱67.0

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.50 ₱154

-5.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.26 ₱15.94

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$4.12 ₱254

898.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.78 ₱48.15

84.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.24 ₱14.82

695.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.07 ₱128

287.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.15 ₱71.2

-18.26%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$28.1K ₱1.7M

-36.23%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$28.9K ₱1.8M

-7.25%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$53.6 ₱3,303

56.76%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$23.22 ₱1,432

-58.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$25.98 ₱1,602

-7.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$34.19 ₱2,109

-24.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.39 ₱271

333.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.29 ₱388

-37.68%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$75.0 ₱4,626

308.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,365 ₱269.2K

35.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$45.82 ₱2,826

26.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$33.61 ₱2,073

-5.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$68.6 ₱4,232

45.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$113 ₱6,993

-5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$95.7 ₱5,904

408.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$57.7 ₱3,560

537.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$305 ₱18.8K

170.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$172 ₱10.6K

316.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$414 ₱25.5K

31.85%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bataan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $95.7 in Bataan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 32% 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 $190 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 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 32% 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 $95.7 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 $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 $1,034 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 72% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.