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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $720 in Calamba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,195 in Calamba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,670 in Calamba.

Living in Medellin is roughly 41% more expensive than Calamba, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Calamba 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.63 ₱221

63.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$13.11 ₱796

154.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$2.61 ₱158

177.01%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.45 ₱149

-33.47%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.64 ₱39.07

70.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.40 ₱24.53

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.03 ₱62.6

68.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.01 ₱122

60.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.86 ₱113

-43.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.19 ₱72.4

8.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.07 ₱65.3

23.36%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.26 ₱137

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.34 ₱567

-53.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.74 ₱227

57.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.67 ₱526

-0.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.73 ₱166

-17.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.85 ₱112

-42.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.26 ₱137

-32.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.21 ₱73.6

17.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.80 ₱110

-35.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.30 ₱140

-49.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.73 ₱44.21

21.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.77 ₱47.04

16.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.19 ₱194

-29.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.76 ₱532

26.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.07 ₱65.1

6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.28 ₱138

4.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.28 ₱17.11

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.91 ₱55.0

54.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.22 ₱13.31

763.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.45 ₱149

216.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.15 ₱69.9

-12.17%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$31.9K ₱1.9M

-44.93%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.4K ₱1.2M

29.59%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$145 ₱8,785

-42.16%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$34.17 ₱2,075

-72.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$26.48 ₱1,608

-8.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$34.09 ₱2,070

-25.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.47 ₱272

328.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.88 ₱357

-30.27%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$153 ₱9,276

104.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,821 ₱292.7K

24.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$49.55 ₱3,009

17.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$27.80 ₱1,688

17.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$76.1 ₱4,620

30.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$45.86 ₱2,785

136.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$124 ₱7,556

287.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$78.9 ₱4,791

380.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$585 ₱35.5K

43.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$400 ₱24.3K

80.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$257 ₱15.6K

110.73%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Calamba: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $124 in Calamba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 111% 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 $190 vs $206, 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 41% 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.

Medellin pays 111% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $124 in Calamba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $720 in Calamba – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $720 in Calamba versus $1,017 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 $720 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 41% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.