Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cabanatuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cabanatuan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $530 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,033 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,535 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 95% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Cabanatuan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Cabanatuan 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.52 ₱279

30.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$35.89 ₱2,213

-8.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.65 ₱225

97.26%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.84 ₱175

-40.14%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.87 ₱53.8

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.48 ₱29.81

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.48 ₱91.6

12.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.62 ₱162

18.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.04 ₱126

-48.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.56 ₱96.4

-19.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.93 ₱57.6

49.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.06 ₱127

9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$3.47 ₱214

24.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.16 ₱195

84.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.77 ₱418

30.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$4.09 ₱252

-45.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.21 ₱74.9

-10.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.98 ₱122

-22.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.82 ₱50.6

67.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.42 ₱87.7

-20.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.45 ₱89.2

-22.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.04 ₱64.4

-18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.84 ₱52.1

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.81 ₱173

-17.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.88 ₱363

89.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.74 ₱45.45

60.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.74 ₱108

36.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.26 ₱16.02

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.74 ₱45.91

94.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.22 ₱13.54

768.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$0.87 ₱53.8

821.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.11 ₱68.3

-15.32%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$28.0K ₱1.7M

-36.02%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$17.8K ₱1.1M

50.73%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$57.9 ₱3,571

45.03%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$20.92 ₱1,290

-54.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$24.79 ₱1,529

-2.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$12.57 ₱775

105.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$2.73 ₱169

597.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.96 ₱429

-43.68%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$152 ₱9,346

102.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,231 ₱260.9K

39.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$27.12 ₱1,673

113.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$34.09 ₱2,103

-6.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$62.6 ₱3,859

59.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$47.71 ₱2,943

124.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$261 ₱16.1K

86.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$44.47 ₱2,743

727.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$580 ₱35.8K

42.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$395 ₱24.4K

81.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$229 ₱14.1K

513.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$206 ₱12.7K

164.99%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $261 in Cabanatuan. 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 165% 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 $36.00 in Cabanatuan. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $175 in Cabanatuan – so Cabanatuan 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 Cabanatuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $530 in Cabanatuan – roughly 95% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $795 in Cabanatuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabanatuan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cabanatuan, where all-in costs run around $530, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Cabanatuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $530 in Cabanatuan to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Cabanatuan. 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.