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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $709 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,047 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,385 in Bulacan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 45% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Bulacan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Bulacan 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.63 ₱162

134.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$14.29 ₱879

128.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$2.86 ₱176

156.64%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.18 ₱134

-21.10%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.68 ₱42.03

54.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.33 ₱20.57

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.04 ₱63.9

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.03 ₱125

56.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.04 ₱125

-48.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.24 ₱76.4

4.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.98 ₱60.4

42.86%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.99 ₱122

8.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.13 ₱193

40.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.49 ₱215

68.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.44 ₱397

34.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.17 ₱134

5.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.44 ₱88.9

-22.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$2.11 ₱130

-27.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.47 ₱90.5

-8.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.81 ₱112

-37.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.51 ₱92.8

-25.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.83 ₱51.1

2.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.80 ₱49.24

13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.86 ₱176

-18.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$3.68 ₱227

236.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.04 ₱64.3

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.71 ₱105

45.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.29 ₱17.92

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$7.30 ₱449

455.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.81 ₱50.1

75.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.22 ₱13.51

772.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.64 ₱162

190.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.10 ₱67.5

-10.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$27.3K ₱1.7M

-33.97%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$14.8K ₱912.1K

79.73%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$113 ₱6,971

-28.63%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$32.87 ₱2,023

-69.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$28.12 ₱1,731

-14.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$41.87 ₱2,578

-40.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.34 ₱267

341.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.05 ₱372

-34.21%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$105 ₱6,493

189.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,301 ₱264.8K

40.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$30.11 ₱1,854

93.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$23.21 ₱1,429

38.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$75.5 ₱4,648

33.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$99.1 ₱6,103

8.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$259 ₱15.9K

84.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$135 ₱8,317

178.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$391 ₱24.1K

115.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$201 ₱12.4K

263.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,954 ₱120.3K

64.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,461 ₱90.0K

-6.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$293 ₱18.0K

110.53%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $259 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 111% 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: $193 vs $164 – 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 45% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,063 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $709 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 456% 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 $709, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $709 versus $1,031 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.