Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and BoholCost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bohol
Monthly Cost of Living
😐A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $697 in Bohol, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,109 in Bohol, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,520 in Bohol, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 48% more than Bohol, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Medellin and Bohol are more affordable than the global median – Medellin23% lower, Bohol48% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Bohol
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$3.63₱224
63.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$35.42₱2,185
-7.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$4.52₱279
59.29%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$3.20₱198
-46.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$0.81₱50.0
35.80%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.37₱22.80
94.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$1.30₱80.2
28.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$2.07₱128
49.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Bohol
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$1.84₱113
-42.39%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$1.21₱74.6
3.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$0.94₱57.9
47.87%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$1.99₱123
13.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$7.80₱481
-44.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$4.14₱255
41.06%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$8.76₱541
0.80%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$2.87₱177
-21.95%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$1.60₱98.4
-32.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$2.60₱160
-41.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$1.57₱96.6
-12.74%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$2.09₱129
-45.93%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$2.63₱162
-57.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$1.10₱67.9
-22.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.71₱44.08
28.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$2.42₱149
-3.72%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$1.21₱74.3
-1.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$2.02₱125
17.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Bohol
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.28₱17.29
182.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$0.77₱47.54
87.01%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$0.22₱13.53
768.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$2.12₱131
278.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$1.25₱77.0
-24.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$26.2K₱1.6M
-31.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$20.6K₱1.3M
30.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Bohol
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$112₱6,909
-25.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$33.21₱2,048
-71.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$27.82₱1,716
-13.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Bohol
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$18.65₱1,150
38.77%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
$4.45₱275
327.87%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$5.62₱346
-30.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Bohol
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$149₱9,183
105.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$4,264₱263.0K
38.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Bohol
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$45.73₱2,821
26.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$26.96₱1,663
18.03%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$75.8₱4,674
31.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$52.8₱3,259
102.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Bohol
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$143₱8,808
240.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$107₱6,599
244.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$528₱32.6K
56.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$228₱14.1K
214.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$543₱33.5K
158.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Bohol
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Bohol: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $143 in Bohol. 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 $35.00 in Bohol. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $189 in Bohol – so Bohol 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 Bohol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bohol cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,046 in Bohol. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bohol, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Bohol?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $697 in Bohol. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $149 in Bohol. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Bohol?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bohol, where all-in costs run around $697, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Bohol it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Bohol more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bohol – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Bohol?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bohol. 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.