Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Calamba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Calamba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $708 in Calamba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,184 in Calamba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,660 in Calamba.

Living in Medellin is roughly 42% more expensive than in Calamba, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Calamba 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.63 ₱222

62.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$13.32 ₱815

147.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$2.63 ₱161

182.51%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.35 ₱144

-29.79%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.64 ₱39.48

71.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.40 ₱24.72

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.01 ₱61.6

70.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.91 ₱117

66.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.85 ₱113

-40.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.19 ₱73.0

5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.06 ₱65.1

30.19%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.28 ₱140

-4.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.95 ₱548

-49.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.88 ₱238

49.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.36 ₱512

7.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.73 ₱167

-15.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.79 ₱109

-40.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.34 ₱143

-35.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.16 ₱71.1

17.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.82 ₱111

-37.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.26 ₱139

-48.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.67 ₱40.87

34.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.77 ₱47.13

16.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.20 ₱196

-30.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.88 ₱544

36.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.06 ₱65.0

12.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.25 ₱138

10.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.28 ₱17.17

203.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.87 ₱53.2

63.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.24 ₱14.73

712.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.43 ₱149

224.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.11 ₱68.0

-10.81%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$31.5K ₱1.9M

-44.16%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

32.57%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$145 ₱8,878

-42.76%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$34.59 ₱2,118

-71.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$26.09 ₱1,597

-9.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$33.25 ₱2,035

-24.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.39 ₱269

335.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.61 ₱344

-29.59%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$149 ₱9,119

111.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,757 ₱291.2K

25.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$48.74 ₱2,983

23.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$27.48 ₱1,682

15.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$75.7 ₱4,631

34.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$47.08 ₱2,882

128.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$122 ₱7,479

288.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$78.8 ₱4,821

374.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$594 ₱36.4K

42.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$391 ₱24.0K

83.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$257 ₱15.7K

142.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.5

198.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Calamba: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $122 in Calamba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 143% 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 $13.00 in Calamba. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $204, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Calamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calamba wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calamba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 143% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $122 in Calamba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $708 in Calamba – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $708 in Calamba versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calamba but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Calamba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Calamba delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $708 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Calamba hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Calamba 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 Calamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.