Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bulacan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bulacan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $718 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,050 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,383 in Bulacan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Bulacan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Bulacan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.70 ₱167

121.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$14.10 ₱870

133.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$2.83 ₱174

150.53%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.22 ₱137

-22.97%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.68 ₱41.84

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.31 ₱18.92

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.04 ₱63.9

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.10 ₱129

46.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.11 ₱130

-48.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.25 ₱77.0

0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.92 ₱56.6

50.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.97 ₱121

11.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.04 ₱188

44.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.70 ₱228

52.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.67 ₱411

33.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.07 ₱128

13.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.44 ₱88.6

-26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.14 ₱132

-29.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.43 ₱88.2

-3.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.74 ₱107

-33.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.52 ₱93.6

-23.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.88 ₱54.0

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.84 ₱52.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.87 ₱177

-20.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$3.63 ₱224

193.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.09 ₱67.3

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.62 ₱100

52.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.29 ₱17.95

196.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$7.49 ₱462

452.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.76 ₱47.02

93.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.24 ₱14.84

716.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.72 ₱168

184.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.10 ₱67.6

-13.64%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$27.1K ₱1.7M

-33.07%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$14.7K ₱905.5K

80.37%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$113 ₱6,942

-26.94%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$32.16 ₱1,983

-70.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$27.96 ₱1,724

-13.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$40.56 ₱2,501

-36.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.40 ₱271

331.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.38 ₱393

-38.40%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$106 ₱6,556

191.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,394 ₱270.9K

35.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$29.90 ₱1,844

96.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$23.35 ₱1,440

38.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$75.8 ₱4,674

35.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$98.2 ₱6,052

10.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$255 ₱15.7K

86.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$135 ₱8,326

180.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$392 ₱24.1K

114.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$202 ₱12.4K

259.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,907 ₱117.6K

46.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,479 ₱91.2K

-18.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$294 ₱18.1K

73.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.17

117.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $255 in Bulacan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 74% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $165 – making Bulacan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bulacan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 41% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,076 in Bulacan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulacan, 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $718 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 453% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bulacan, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Bulacan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bulacan costs $718 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Bulacan. 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.