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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $676 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,036 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,396 in Caloocan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 52% more than Caloocan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Caloocan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Caloocan 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.64 ₱219

64.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$13.54 ₱815

142.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$2.68 ₱161

176.87%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.13 ₱68.3

46.02%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.46 ₱27.95

132.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.38 ₱22.72

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.36 ₱82.1

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.00 ₱121

60.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.83 ₱110

-42.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.25 ₱75.4

4.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.01 ₱60.7

32.67%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.99 ₱120

10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$2.19 ₱132

101.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$2.92 ₱176

94.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$5.63 ₱339

51.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.01 ₱121

16.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.15 ₱69.5

-3.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.23 ₱135

-31.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.18 ₱70.9

16.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.23 ₱74.0

-6.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.21 ₱133

-46.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.68 ₱40.78

23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.54 ₱32.67

59.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$3.30 ₱199

-31.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$5.02 ₱303

131.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.07 ₱64.3

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.37 ₱142

4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.20 ₱12.04

295.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.78 ₱46.68

88.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.24 ₱14.52

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$2.42 ₱146

221.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.15 ₱69.3

-12.17%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$31.3K ₱1.9M

-43.60%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$20.3K ₱1.2M

30.46%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$59.2 ₱3,565

36.99%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$10.80 ₱651

-12.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$26.28 ₱1,583

-9.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$5.45 ₱328

376.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$4.54 ₱274

312.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$5.83 ₱351

-29.85%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$152 ₱9,175

106.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$4,671 ₱281.3K

28.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$49.45 ₱2,978

20.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$27.59 ₱1,662

15.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$53.7 ₱3,232

88.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$46.85 ₱2,822

124.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$285 ₱17.2K

70.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$265 ₱16.0K

37.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$594 ₱35.8K

39.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$521 ₱31.4K

40.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,496 ₱150.3K

19.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$907 ₱54.6K

44.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$281 ₱16.9K

96.08%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Caloocan: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $285 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 96% 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 $14.00 in Caloocan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $150 – 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 52% more than Caloocan, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,014 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $14.00 in Caloocan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $676, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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 $676 versus $1,028 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.