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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $661 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,032 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,404 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 25% lower, Caloocan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.50 ₱214

68.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$13.31 ₱815

147.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$2.59 ₱159

186.87%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.12 ₱68.5

47.32%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.43 ₱26.21

155.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.37 ₱22.93

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.36 ₱83.5

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.93 ₱118

64.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.89 ₱116

-41.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.24 ₱76.1

1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.03 ₱63.3

33.98%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.98 ₱121

10.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$2.08 ₱127

115.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.80 ₱172

106.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.83 ₱357

53.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.08 ₱127

11.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.11 ₱67.8

-4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.32 ₱142

-34.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.21 ₱74.2

12.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.26 ₱76.9

-10.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.24 ₱137

-47.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.72 ₱43.98

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.57 ₱35.14

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.27 ₱200

-31.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.76 ₱291

154.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.07 ₱65.3

11.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.35 ₱144

5.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.22 ₱13.48

286.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.77 ₱47.12

84.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.24 ₱14.75

712.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.44 ₱149

223.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.16 ₱71.1

-14.66%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$32.3K ₱2.0M

-45.51%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.0K ₱1.2M

33.81%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$61.2 ₱3,747

35.62%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$10.45 ₱640

-7.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$26.05 ₱1,595

-9.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$5.39 ₱330

368.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.36 ₱267

338.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.75 ₱352

-31.30%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$153 ₱9,349

106.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,785 ₱292.9K

24.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$49.63 ₱3,038

20.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$27.95 ₱1,711

13.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$53.3 ₱3,263

90.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$47.30 ₱2,896

127.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$295 ₱18.1K

60.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$266 ₱16.3K

40.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$582 ₱35.6K

45.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$530 ₱32.4K

35.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,529 ₱154.8K

29.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,028 ₱62.9K

40.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$267 ₱16.3K

133.87%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Caloocan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $295 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 134% 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 $13.00 in Caloocan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $151 – 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $991 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 $13.00 in Caloocan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $661, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $661 versus $1,003 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.