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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $671 in Batangas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $973 in Batangas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,274 in Batangas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 52% more expensive than Batangas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Batangas 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.34 ₱142

154.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.41 ₱1,300

55.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$2.68 ₱163

169.78%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.72 ₱105

-5.23%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.81 ₱49.39

34.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.38 ₱22.93

92.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.02 ₱62.0

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.35 ₱81.9

139.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.16 ₱131

-51.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.20 ₱72.8

7.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.82 ₱49.94

60.98%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.89 ₱115

20.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.72 ₱287

-7.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.30 ₱261

36.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.35 ₱446

17.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.73 ₱165

-17.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.59 ₱96.4

-32.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.69 ₱163

-43.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.65 ₱99.9

-13.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.56 ₱155

-54.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$4.12 ₱250

-71.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.40 ₱85.2

-36.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.04 ₱63.2

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.79 ₱169

-19.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.37 ₱448

49.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.93 ₱56.3

22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.96 ₱119

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.28 ₱17.05

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.79 ₱47.90

78.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.27 ₱16.46

603.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.17 ₱132

257.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.11 ₱67.3

-9.01%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$25.2K ₱1.5M

-30.22%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.3K ₱1.2M

30.21%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$161 ₱9,803

-48.17%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$19.08 ₱1,159

-50.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$29.35 ₱1,782

-17.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$27.72 ₱1,683

-8.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.45 ₱270

330.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.40 ₱328

-24.07%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$81.4 ₱4,943

283.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,405 ₱85.3K

326.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$17.83 ₱1,082

225.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$26.73 ₱1,623

21.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$61.1 ₱3,711

62.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$44.47 ₱2,700

144.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$261 ₱15.8K

85.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$80.9 ₱4,912

369.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$177 ₱10.8K

372.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$105 ₱6,349

591.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,634 ₱159.9K

7.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,652 ₱100.3K

-25.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$168 ₱10.2K

221.03%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Batangas: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $261 in Batangas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 221% 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 $202, 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 52% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $671 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 221% 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 $261 in Batangas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $671 in Batangas – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $671 in Batangas versus $1,017 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 52% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.