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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $675 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,053 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,432 in Caloocan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than Caloocan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Caloocan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Caloocan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.56 ₱220

66.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$13.50 ₱832

142.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$2.71 ₱167

165.68%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.13 ₱70.0

50.44%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.47 ₱29.00

134.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.37 ₱22.87

94.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.35 ₱83.4

23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.96 ₱121

58.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.90 ₱117

-44.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.19 ₱73.4

5.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.04 ₱64.3

33.65%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.01 ₱124

12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$2.17 ₱134

99.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.81 ₱173

107.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.50 ₱340

60.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.05 ₱127

9.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.10 ₱67.7

-1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.34 ₱144

-34.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.22 ₱75.5

12.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.22 ₱75.2

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.29 ₱141

-51.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.72 ₱44.52

18.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.59 ₱36.23

54.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.18 ₱196

-26.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.98 ₱307

123.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.08 ₱66.6

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.28 ₱141

3.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.22 ₱13.60

259.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.79 ₱48.55

82.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.24 ₱14.82

695.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.32 ₱143

245.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.11 ₱68.2

-15.32%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$32.5K ₱2.0M

-44.88%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

29.50%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$61.0 ₱3,763

37.62%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$10.60 ₱654

-9.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$26.26 ₱1,620

-8.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$5.20 ₱321

397.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.41 ₱272

331.75%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.84 ₱360

-32.88%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$150 ₱9,272

103.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,807 ₱296.5K

23.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$48.06 ₱2,964

20.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.23 ₱1,679

16.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$53.2 ₱3,281

87.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$47.05 ₱2,902

127.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$284 ₱17.5K

71.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$264 ₱16.3K

39.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$592 ₱36.5K

39.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$526 ₱32.4K

36.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,325 ₱143.4K

25.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$275 ₱16.9K

98.58%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Caloocan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $284 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 99% 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: $190 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 53% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,013 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 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 $675, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $675 versus $1,034 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.