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: $1,687 in Medellin versus $633 in Batangas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $932 in Batangas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,232 in Batangas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 166% more expensive than in Batangas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Batangas is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$2.15 ₱132

266.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$19.70 ₱1,214

126.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$2.63 ₱162

253.23%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.07 ₱128

40.10%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.42 ₱26.12

330.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.29 ₱17.93

434.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.05 ₱64.8

209.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.42 ₱87.5

314.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.74 ₱107

-20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.21 ₱74.8

102.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$0.76 ₱46.62

98.68%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.68 ₱104

65.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$5.58 ₱344

62.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.24 ₱261

151.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$7.38 ₱455

98.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.47 ₱152

60.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.40 ₱86.4

-1.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.50 ₱154

-8.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.16 ₱71.5

74.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$2.36 ₱146

-11.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$3.38 ₱208

-51.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.27 ₱78.5

-14.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.01 ₱62.1

23.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.64 ₱163

52.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$7.67 ₱473

75.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.37 ₱84.2

16.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.88 ₱116

59.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.72 ₱44.13

63.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.78 ₱47.99

106.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.24 ₱14.80

787.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$2.65 ₱163

221.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.10 ₱67.6

22.73%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$21.7K ₱1.3M

30.59%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

88.31%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$166 ₱10.2K

-8.70%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$14.60 ₱900

-10.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$25.69 ₱1,583

25.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$19.10 ₱1,178

142.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$13.05 ₱804

32.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$5.61 ₱346

14.62%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$73.8 ₱4,551

1030.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$1,322 ₱81.5K

572.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$16.02 ₱988

457.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$22.73 ₱1,401

143.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$56.5 ₱3,480

141.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$40.71 ₱2,510

168.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$71.6 ₱4,416

832.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$163 ₱10.1K

1137.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$95.9 ₱5,909

1098.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$2,628 ₱162.0K

40.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,674 ₱103.2K

-5.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$169 ₱10.4K

269.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

49.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Batangas: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 270% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $20.00 in Batangas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $193 per month, with Batangas 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 Batangas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Batangas differ by about 166% in total monthly costs ($1,687 vs $633 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 270% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $633 in Batangas – a 166% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $633 in Batangas versus $1,687 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 166% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.