Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boracay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boracay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $785 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,413 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,041 in Boracay.

Living in Medellin is roughly 29% more expensive than Boracay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Boracay 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.13 ₱193

91.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$21.30 ₱1,314

54.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.91 ₱303

44.40%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.36 ₱146

-27.54%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.23 ₱75.8

-10.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.28 ₱17.46

178.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.30 ₱80.2

29.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.11 ₱130

45.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.75 ₱108

-37.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.22 ₱75.1

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.85 ₱52.4

62.35%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.64 ₱163

-17.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.83 ₱483

-43.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.30 ₱266

30.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.49 ₱462

18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.98 ₱184

-21.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.47 ₱90.6

-27.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.58 ₱159

-41.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.43 ₱88.3

-3.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.76 ₱108

-34.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.62 ₱162

-55.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.07 ₱66.1

-16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.71 ₱44.01

18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.81 ₱235

-40.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$7.95 ₱491

33.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.15 ₱71.2

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.96 ₱121

26.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.36 ₱22.51

138.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.81 ₱49.99

81.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.22 ₱13.57

790.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.19 ₱135

253.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.26 ₱77.9

-24.60%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$26.4K ₱1.6M

-31.24%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

29.25%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$114 ₱7,039

-27.90%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.80 ₱543

7.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$38.04 ₱2,347

-36.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$52.2 ₱3,218

-50.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$4.52 ₱279

320.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.12 ₱254

-4.61%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$155 ₱9,537

100.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,962 ₱244.5K

50.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$46.06 ₱2,842

27.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$26.47 ₱1,633

22.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$76.0 ₱4,689

35.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$53.0 ₱3,269

104.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$269 ₱16.6K

77.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$174 ₱10.8K

117.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$583 ₱35.9K

43.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$758 ₱46.8K

-4.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,470 ₱152.4K

13.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$983 ₱60.7K

23.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$235 ₱14.5K

118.16%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Boracay: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $269 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 118% 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 Boracay. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $201, 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 Boracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Boracay differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $785 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 118% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $269 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $155 in Boracay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $785 in Boracay versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay 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 Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.