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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $623 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $959 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,296 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 170% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$3.89 ₱244

106.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$16.96 ₱1,066

182.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$2.81 ₱177

251.96%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.77 ₱111

76.84%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.61 ₱38.03

213.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.33 ₱20.81

357.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$0.95 ₱59.8

228.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.57 ₱98.7

266.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.59 ₱100

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.15 ₱72.0

116.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.93 ₱58.5

90.32%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.99 ₱125

48.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$4.98 ₱313

102.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.38 ₱212

199.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.98 ₱501

79.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.22 ₱140

86.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.05 ₱65.7

53.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.30 ₱144

-2.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$0.77 ₱48.50

192.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.71 ₱108

19.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.70 ₱107

-9.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.62 ₱38.98

88.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.52 ₱32.90

151.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.91 ₱183

34.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$8.52 ₱535

64.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$0.96 ₱60.1

81.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.99 ₱125

44.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.30 ₱18.63

306.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$9.95 ₱625

708.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.76 ₱47.47

72.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.25 ₱15.81

776.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$1.88 ₱118

363.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.94 ₱59.1

45.74%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

31.89%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

88.56%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$55.2 ₱3,469

221.08%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$17.82 ₱1,120

-22.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$21.61 ₱1,358

37.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$11.20 ₱704

300.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$4.70 ₱295

264.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$5.09 ₱320

30.65%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$130 ₱8,194

523.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$10.7K ₱673.1K

-14.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$23.56 ₱1,480

279.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$19.53 ₱1,227

201.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$60.0 ₱3,767

130.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$55.2 ₱3,471

84.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$291 ₱18.3K

264.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$170 ₱10.7K

290.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$535 ₱33.6K

253.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$299 ₱18.8K

243.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,306 ₱144.9K

81.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$907 ₱57.0K

84.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$161 ₱10.1K

320.89%

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 Cabanatuan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $291 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 321% 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 $17.00 in Cabanatuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $168 – making Cabanatuan 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 Cabanatuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $623 in Cabanatuan – roughly 170% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $934 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $623 in Cabanatuan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cabanatuan, where all-in costs run around $623, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $623 in Cabanatuan to $1,681 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.