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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $635 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $923 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,211 in Bulacan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 165% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Bulacan is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$1.95 ₱122

311.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$15.69 ₱986

205.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$2.71 ₱170

264.94%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.77 ₱111

76.84%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.50 ₱31.56

282.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.25 ₱15.57

504.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$0.94 ₱59.0

231.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.57 ₱98.9

266.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.63 ₱102

-11.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.10 ₱69.1

126.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.87 ₱54.6

103.45%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.76 ₱111

68.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$2.72 ₱171

270.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.49 ₱219

189.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$5.95 ₱374

140.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.02 ₱127

104.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.57 ₱98.6

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.00 ₱126

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.08 ₱67.6

108.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.58 ₱99.2

29.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.77 ₱112

-12.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.66 ₱41.33

77.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.53 ₱33.61

147.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.93 ₱184

33.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$3.56 ₱223

293.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$0.92 ₱58.0

89.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.58 ₱99.3

81.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.19 ₱11.63

542.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$6.71 ₱422

1099.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.70 ₱44.28

87.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.18 ₱11.00

1116.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$1.93 ₱121

351.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.04 ₱65.7

31.73%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$21.5K ₱1.4M

29.52%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$16.0K ₱1.0M

123.59%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$114 ₱7,193

54.86%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$17.31 ₱1,087

-19.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$23.30 ₱1,464

27.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$36.36 ₱2,284

23.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$0.78 ₱48.73

2094.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$5.15 ₱323

29.13%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$96.5 ₱6,064

742.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$972 ₱61.1K

845.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$28.30 ₱1,778

216.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$19.31 ₱1,213

205.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$74.4 ₱4,676

85.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$54.7 ₱3,434

86.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$237 ₱14.9K

348.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$149 ₱9,347

345.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$381 ₱23.9K

396.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$215 ₱13.5K

378.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,900 ₱119.4K

120.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,418 ₱89.1K

18.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$296 ₱18.6K

128.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $237 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 129% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $146 – 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 165% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $952 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $635 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1099% 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 $635, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $635 versus $1,681 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.