Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Binan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Binan City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $899 in Binan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,376 in Binan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,853 in Binan City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 12% more than Binan City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Binan City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Binan City 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.68 ₱287

26.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$21.12 ₱1,293

56.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.03 ₱185

145.21%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.87 ₱176

-42.51%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.94 ₱57.8

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.37 ₱22.78

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.22 ₱74.9

40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.70 ₱165

17.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.07 ₱127

-46.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.26 ₱77.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.11 ₱68.2

24.32%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.04 ₱125

6.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.03 ₱431

-36.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.38 ₱268

32.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.54 ₱462

18.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.42 ₱270

-47.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.55 ₱94.9

-31.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.63 ₱161

-42.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.71 ₱105

-20.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.88 ₱176

-60.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.94 ₱180

-60.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.58 ₱96.9

-43.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.95 ₱58.4

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.25 ₱199

-31.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.11 ₱497

49.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.23 ₱75.5

-3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.05 ₱125

20.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.26 ₱15.90

226.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.77 ₱47.35

84.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.22 ₱13.45

786.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.50 ₱214

125.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.14 ₱69.7

-13.16%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$25.3K ₱1.5M

-30.29%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

28.99%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$164 ₱10.0K

-49.24%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$33.13 ₱2,028

-70.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$35.34 ₱2,163

-33.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$34.13 ₱2,089

-25.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.32 ₱264

342.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.26 ₱444

-45.59%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$81.6 ₱4,992

287.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,963 ₱426.2K

-14.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$32.18 ₱1,970

86.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$30.10 ₱1,843

5.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$83.9 ₱5,133

21.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$93.3 ₱5,709

15.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$269 ₱16.5K

76.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$177 ₱10.9K

110.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$579 ₱35.4K

46.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$394 ₱24.1K

82.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,260 ₱138.3K

44.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$899 ₱55.1K

60.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Binan City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $269 in Binan City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Binan City. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $221 in Binan City – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Binan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,348 in Binan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Binan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $899 in Binan City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $81.6 in Binan City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Binan City, where all-in costs run around $899, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Binan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Binan City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Binan City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.