Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Calbayog Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Calbayog

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $694 in Calbayog, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,068 in Calbayog, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,442 in Calbayog, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Calbayog, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Calbayog are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Calbayog 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.51 ₱213

69.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$17.67 ₱1,073

88.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.40 ₱207

112.65%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.36 ₱143

-30.93%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.78 ₱47.20

39.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.39 ₱23.88

87.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.31 ₱79.4

32.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.18 ₱132

48.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.29 ₱78.6

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.27 ₱77.4

1.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.92 ₱56.0

43.48%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.09 ₱127

8.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.91 ₱480

-45.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.90 ₱237

50.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.70 ₱467

11.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.64 ₱99.9

37.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.99 ₱60.2

8.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.63 ₱160

-42.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.55 ₱94.3

-8.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.27 ₱138

-48.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.60 ₱158

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.12 ₱67.9

-20.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.71 ₱43.41

26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.40 ₱267

-48.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.01 ₱486

37.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.75 ₱45.56

52.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$0.95 ₱57.5

150.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.28 ₱17.17

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$21.00 ₱1,275

99.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.82 ₱49.78

71.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.22 ₱13.32

763.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.14 ₱130

262.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.52 ₱92.2

-33.55%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$27.0K ₱1.6M

-34.86%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.1K ₱1.2M

31.91%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$114 ₱6,905

-26.42%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$33.28 ₱2,021

-71.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$28.01 ₱1,701

-13.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$33.49 ₱2,033

-24.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.39 ₱266

335.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.98 ₱363

-31.44%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$149 ₱9,064

108.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,363 ₱264.9K

37.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$46.56 ₱2,827

24.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$26.93 ₱1,635

20.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$75.9 ₱4,609

31.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$53.1 ₱3,227

104.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$177 ₱10.7K

173.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$106 ₱6,432

258.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$342 ₱20.7K

145.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$186 ₱11.3K

289.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,435 ₱147.8K

16.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,019 ₱61.9K

19.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$153 ₱9,312

252.68%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Calbayog: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $177 in Calbayog. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 253% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Calbayog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $183 – making Calbayog the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Calbayog: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,040 in Calbayog. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calbayog, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $18.00 in Calbayog. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calbayog, where all-in costs run around $694, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Calbayog it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calbayog – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Calbayog. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.