😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $757 in Bayawan City.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $1,173 in Bayawan City.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $1,588 in Bayawan City.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 117% more expensive than in Bayawan City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Bayawan City is 45% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Bayawan City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 25.0K
$3.07₱191
161.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 149.9K
$23.13₱1,442
108.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.3K
$3.99₱249
136.09%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,120
$2.61₱163
12.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,786
$0.62₱38.97
200.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,519
$0.51₱31.61
186.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,969
$1.78₱111
80.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.7K
$2.28₱142
150.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Bayawan City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,467
$1.80₱112
-20.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,454
$1.17₱72.7
105.13%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,274
$0.68₱42.19
150.00%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,975
$1.98₱123
45.96%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 31.2K
$10.11₱630
-0.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 31.0K
$4.59₱286
117.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 44.1K
$7.50₱468
89.33%
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.4K
$3.39₱212
17.40%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,921
$1.39₱87.0
13.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,682
$2.40₱150
-10.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,141
$1.48₱92.1
55.41%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,223
$2.38₱149
-15.97%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,687
$1.93₱120
-21.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,734
$1.19₱74.4
0.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,981
$0.63₱39.23
103.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.9K
$2.98₱186
28.86%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.5K
$4.73₱295
196.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,302
$0.81₱50.7
111.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,515
$1.68₱105
63.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Bayawan City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,868
$0.27₱16.93
362.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 241.9K
$11.04₱688
605.62%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,052
$0.79₱49.48
65.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,739
$0.21₱13.03
933.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.8K
$1.93₱121
329.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,209
$1.14₱71.0
19.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 85.3M
$21.6K₱1.3M
27.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 113.4M
$19.4K₱1.2M
88.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Bayawan City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 523.8K
$121₱7,568
39.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 42.1K
$14.81₱923
-8.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.9K
$28.41₱1,771
-0.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Bayawan City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 141.9K
$31.58₱1,969
44.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.5K
$4.74₱296
263.29%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.6K
$1.65₱103
303.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Bayawan City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$136₱8,461
492.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.5M
$8,050₱502.0K
14.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Bayawan City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 271.2K
$32.31₱2,015
170.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 184.3K
$19.35₱1,206
206.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 431.3K
$76.8₱4,790
80.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 316.8K
$56.8₱3,543
79.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Bayawan City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$266₱16.6K
303.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$174₱10.8K
275.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 6.0M
$504₱31.4K
282.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.3M
$351₱21.9K
198.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.8M
$2,597₱162.0K
58.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.3M
$1,060₱66.1K
60.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Bayawan City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
$114₱7,088
476.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
7.2
51.94%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Bayawan City: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $266 in Bayawan City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 476% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $23.00 in Bayawan City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $199 per month, with Bayawan City 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 Bayawan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and in Bayawan City?
Medellin and Bayawan City differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $757 including rent). Bayawan City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Medellin or Bayawan City?
Average pay runs 476% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and in Bayawan City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $266 in Bayawan City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Bayawan City – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $757 in Bayawan City versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bayawan City but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bayawan City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Bayawan City?
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.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Bayawan City?
Expats usually find Bayawan City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.