Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cagayan de Oro City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cagayan de Oro City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $750 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,121 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,493 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Living in Medellin is roughly 35% more expensive than Cagayan de Oro City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Cagayan de Oro City 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.67 ₱226

63.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$14.04 ₱866

134.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.44 ₱212

106.10%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.62 ₱162

-34.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.96 ₱59.2

14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.36 ₱22.11

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.45 ₱89.4

15.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.47 ₱152

24.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.66 ₱102

-34.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.98 ₱60.3

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.98 ₱60.2

40.82%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.40 ₱148

-8.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.08 ₱375

-27.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.48 ₱215

61.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.43 ₱397

38.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.24 ₱138

4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.13 ₱69.9

-6.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.29 ₱141

-34.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.22 ₱75.2

13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.26 ₱139

-49.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.79 ₱172

-58.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.85 ₱52.3

4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.51 ₱31.16

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.40 ₱148

-5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$3.95 ₱244

169.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.34 ₱82.9

-10.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.56 ₱96.3

58.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.41 ₱25.24

109.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$8.72 ₱538

374.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.68 ₱41.72

116.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.22 ₱13.49

790.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.18 ₱134

255.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.14 ₱70.3

-16.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

-10.27%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$18.9K ₱1.2M

40.38%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$105 ₱6,471

-21.63%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$40.33 ₱2,487

-76.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$33.47 ₱2,064

-27.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$22.08 ₱1,362

17.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$3.27 ₱202

481.04%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.62 ₱285

-14.94%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$190 ₱11.7K

62.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,462 ₱151.8K

142.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$35.46 ₱2,187

65.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$14.51 ₱895

122.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$58.7 ₱3,621

74.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$42.85 ₱2,642

153.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$362 ₱22.3K

31.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$214 ₱13.2K

77.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$581 ₱35.8K

44.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$383 ₱23.6K

88.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,668 ₱102.8K

67.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$994 ₱61.3K

21.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$313 ₱19.3K

63.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cagayan de Oro City: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $362 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 63% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $14.00 in Cagayan de Oro City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $168 per month, with Cagayan de Oro City cheaper across the board.

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 Cagayan de Oro City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Cagayan de Oro City differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $750 including rent). Cagayan de Oro City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 63% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $362 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $750 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cagayan de Oro City but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cagayan de Oro City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Cagayan de Oro City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cagayan de Oro City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.