Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Caloocan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Caloocan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $586 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $916 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,247 in Caloocan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 187% more than Caloocan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Caloocan is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.41 ₱151

232.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$16.60 ₱1,041

188.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$2.27 ₱142

335.68%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$0.94 ₱59.2

232.98%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.43 ₱26.89

344.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.31 ₱19.15

387.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$0.94 ₱59.0

231.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.61 ₱101

257.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.61 ₱101

-10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.15 ₱72.1

116.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.93 ₱58.2

90.32%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.77 ₱111

67.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$1.86 ₱117

441.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.57 ₱161

293.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$5.14 ₱322

178.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.84 ₱115

125.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.02 ₱64.3

57.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.04 ₱128

10.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.07 ₱67.3

110.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.13 ₱70.8

80.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.71 ₱107

-9.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.67 ₱42.10

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.52 ₱32.38

151.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.85 ₱179

36.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$4.64 ₱291

201.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.96 ₱60.3

81.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.00 ₱125

43.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.22 ₱13.65

454.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.75 ₱46.95

74.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.23 ₱14.40

852.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.88 ₱118

363.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.90 ₱56.6

52.22%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

29.05%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

87.53%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$53.0 ₱3,321

234.84%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$9.76 ₱612

42.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$23.11 ₱1,449

28.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$4.83 ₱303

829.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.02 ₱315

32.47%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$132 ₱8,289

515.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$10.5K ₱661.4K

-12.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$29.19 ₱1,831

206.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$19.37 ₱1,215

204.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$49.35 ₱3,095

180.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$42.84 ₱2,687

138.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$266 ₱16.7K

298.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$235 ₱14.8K

181.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$526 ₱33.0K

258.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$468 ₱29.4K

119.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$267 ₱16.8K

153.37%

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 Caloocan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $266 in Caloocan. 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 153% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Caloocan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $135 – making Caloocan 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 Caloocan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 187% more than Caloocan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $878 in Caloocan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in Caloocan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 126% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Caloocan, where all-in costs run around $586, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Caloocan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Caloocan costs $586 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Caloocan. 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.