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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $871 in Binan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,367 in Binan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,862 in Binan City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 17% more than Binan City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Binan City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Binan City 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.74 ₱288

25.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.07 ₱1,279

58.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.18 ₱193

127.36%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.81 ₱171

-41.99%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.98 ₱59.3

11.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.35 ₱21.09

108.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.22 ₱74.3

42.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.71 ₱165

19.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.07 ₱126

-49.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.25 ₱75.6

3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.12 ₱67.9

17.86%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.04 ₱124

11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.95 ₱422

-37.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.39 ₱267

33.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.41 ₱450

16.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$4.45 ₱270

-49.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.52 ₱92.1

-29.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.71 ₱165

-43.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.64 ₱99.6

-13.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.89 ₱176

-59.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.82 ₱171

-58.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.64 ₱99.8

-45.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.02 ₱61.7

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.28 ₱199

-31.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.25 ₱501

33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.26 ₱76.3

-9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.05 ₱125

16.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.26 ₱15.78

223.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.79 ₱47.86

78.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.24 ₱14.65

691.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.65 ₱221

112.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.15 ₱69.6

-12.17%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

-32.77%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.5K ₱1.2M

28.93%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$164 ₱9,981

-49.09%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$33.25 ₱2,019

-71.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$35.79 ₱2,173

-32.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$34.12 ₱2,072

-25.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.32 ₱262

343.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.24 ₱440

-43.37%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$81.2 ₱4,931

284.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,089 ₱430.4K

-15.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$32.25 ₱1,958

79.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$29.08 ₱1,766

11.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$83.5 ₱5,067

19.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$93.1 ₱5,651

16.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$264 ₱16.0K

82.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$178 ₱10.8K

113.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$583 ₱35.4K

43.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$391 ₱23.8K

84.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,071 ₱125.8K

37.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$923 ₱56.0K

32.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Binan City: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $264 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 – $190 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 17%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,307 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $871 in Binan City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $81.2 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 $871, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.