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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $525 in Calamba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $764 in Calamba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,004 in Calamba.

Living in Medellin is roughly 220% more expensive than in Calamba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Calamba is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$4.06 ₱255

97.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$11.82 ₱741

304.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$2.72 ₱170

263.60%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.77 ₱111

76.84%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.56 ₱35.17

241.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.30 ₱19.10

403.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$0.87 ₱54.7

258.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$1.56 ₱97.9

268.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.68 ₱105

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.12 ₱70.2

122.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$0.96 ₱59.9

84.38%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.98 ₱124

49.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$4.94 ₱310

103.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$3.42 ₱214

195.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$8.04 ₱504

77.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.31 ₱145

79.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.53 ₱95.7

5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.32 ₱146

-3.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.08 ₱67.5

108.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.74 ₱109

17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.73 ₱108

-10.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.62 ₱39.10

88.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.53 ₱33.45

147.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.86 ₱180

36.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$8.58 ₱538

63.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$0.96 ₱60.2

81.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.01 ₱126

42.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.78 ₱48.68

67.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.23 ₱14.37

852.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$1.88 ₱118

363.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.96 ₱60.2

42.71%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$21.7K ₱1.4M

28.28%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

85.02%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$141 ₱8,814

26.05%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$17.71 ₱1,110

-21.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$23.73 ₱1,487

25.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$5.23 ₱327

27.15%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$133 ₱8,320

512.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$10.8K ₱674.2K

-14.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$28.53 ₱1,788

213.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$19.71 ₱1,235

199.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$70.2 ₱4,399

96.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$55.5 ₱3,478

84.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$258 ₱16.2K

162.74%

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 Calamba: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 163% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Calamba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $175 per month, with Calamba 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 Calamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calamba wins on cost – living expenses run 220% 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 163% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $525 in Calamba – a 220% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $525 in Calamba versus $1,681 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 $525 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 220% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.