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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $760 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,122 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,484 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Living in Medellin is roughly 36% more expensive than in Cagayan de Oro City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Cagayan de Oro City 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$3.88 ₱239

58.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$14.45 ₱890

125.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.38 ₱208

117.16%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$2.52 ₱155

-31.75%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$0.98 ₱60.1

7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$0.36 ₱21.87

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$1.46 ₱90.0

15.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.39 ₱147

32.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$1.65 ₱102

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$0.91 ₱55.8

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$0.92 ₱56.6

52.17%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$2.40 ₱147

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.11 ₱376

-28.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.64 ₱224

61.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.64 ₱409

30.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$2.33 ₱143

-2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$1.13 ₱69.9

-1.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$2.37 ₱146

-35.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$1.28 ₱78.6

5.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$2.26 ₱139

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$2.81 ₱173

-59.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$0.91 ₱55.8

-6.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$0.47 ₱28.72

93.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$2.49 ₱153

-6.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$3.99 ₱246

210.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$1.42 ₱87.3

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$1.55 ₱95.6

60.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$0.41 ₱25.24

104.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$8.46 ₱521

379.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$0.70 ₱42.93

102.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$0.22 ₱13.54

772.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.07 ₱127

270.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$1.14 ₱70.4

-13.16%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

-11.98%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

36.72%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$106 ₱6,542

-23.95%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$39.96 ₱2,460

-75.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$33.15 ₱2,041

-27.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$21.81 ₱1,343

14.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$3.32 ₱204

476.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.56 ₱281

-12.72%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$186 ₱11.5K

63.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,518 ₱155.1K

140.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$35.44 ₱2,182

64.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$14.29 ₱880

125.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$56.6 ₱3,482

78.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$43.47 ₱2,676

147.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$356 ₱21.9K

33.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$214 ₱13.2K

75.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$579 ₱35.6K

45.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$374 ₱23.0K

95.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,611 ₱99.2K

99.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$989 ₱60.9K

38.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$313 ₱19.3K

96.88%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cagayan de Oro City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $356 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 97% 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 $193 vs $169 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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $760 including rent). Cagayan de Oro City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 97% higher in Medellin, 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: $477 in Medellin versus $356 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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 $760 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $1,031 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 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.