Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Batangas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Batangas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $651 in Batangas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $969 in Batangas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,288 in Batangas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 59% more expensive than Batangas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Batangas 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.43 ₱150

143.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$20.88 ₱1,288

56.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$2.59 ₱160

177.99%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.72 ₱106

-1.16%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.83 ₱51.3

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.37 ₱22.86

94.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.02 ₱62.8

63.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.34 ₱82.4

131.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.08 ₱128

-49.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.20 ₱73.9

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.90 ₱55.6

54.44%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.85 ₱114

22.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.79 ₱296

-9.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.16 ₱257

40.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.33 ₱452

20.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.61 ₱161

-14.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.57 ₱97.1

-31.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.60 ₱160

-41.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.62 ₱100

-15.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.52 ₱155

-55.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$4.13 ₱255

-72.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.40 ₱86.3

-39.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.02 ₱62.6

-10.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.91 ₱179

-19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.43 ₱458

49.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.92 ₱56.5

29.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.96 ₱121

20.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.26 ₱15.82

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.77 ₱47.56

87.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.27 ₱16.68

607.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.08 ₱128

285.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.09 ₱67.0

-13.76%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$25.4K ₱1.6M

-29.56%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

29.66%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$166 ₱10.2K

-49.37%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$19.22 ₱1,186

-50.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$29.85 ₱1,841

-19.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$27.00 ₱1,665

-4.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.56 ₱281

317.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.17 ₱319

-24.18%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$82.9 ₱5,111

269.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,392 ₱85.9K

325.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$17.53 ₱1,081

230.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$26.41 ₱1,629

20.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$63.3 ₱3,902

57.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$44.55 ₱2,748

140.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$267 ₱16.5K

82.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$80.4 ₱4,961

357.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$177 ₱10.9K

365.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$108 ₱6,680

561.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,586 ₱159.5K

13.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,646 ₱101.5K

-14.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$169 ₱10.4K

223.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.13

65.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Batangas: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $267 in Batangas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 224% 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 $21.00 in Batangas. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $199, 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 Batangas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Batangas differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $651 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 224% 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 $267 in Batangas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $651 in Batangas – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $651 in Batangas versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Batangas but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Batangas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Batangas 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 Batangas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.