Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cauayan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cauayan City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $691 in Cauayan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,060 in Cauayan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,428 in Cauayan City, rent included.

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

Both Medellin and Cauayan City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Cauayan City 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.48 ₱211

70.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$13.39 ₱813

148.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$2.64 ₱160

173.86%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.29 ₱139

-28.82%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.31 ₱18.52

251.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.33 ₱20.12

121.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.03 ₱62.5

68.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.73 ₱105

86.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.64 ₱99.6

-35.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.19 ₱72.3

8.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.85 ₱51.4

55.29%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.46 ₱88.6

55.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.05 ₱307

-13.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.70 ₱225

58.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.16 ₱435

20.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.17 ₱132

3.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.82 ₱49.81

30.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.07 ₱126

-26.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.67 ₱40.96

111.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.93 ₱56.4

25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.35 ₱82.0

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.69 ₱41.75

28.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.73 ₱44.17

23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.55 ₱155

-11.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$9.07 ₱551

21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.06 ₱64.6

7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.07 ₱126

14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.26 ₱15.75

223.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.87 ₱53.0

62.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.24 ₱14.64

691.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.44 ₱148

217.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.15 ₱70.0

-12.17%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$17.5K ₱1.1M

0.31%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.5K ₱1.2M

29.24%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$90.2 ₱5,474

-7.18%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$35.32 ₱2,145

-73.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$26.10 ₱1,585

-7.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$34.59 ₱2,100

-26.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.47 ₱272

328.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.15 ₱252

-1.20%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$52.4 ₱3,182

495.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,798 ₱109.2K

233.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$26.44 ₱1,605

119.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$20.92 ₱1,270

55.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$52.8 ₱3,205

88.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$46.29 ₱2,811

134.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$261 ₱15.8K

85.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$179 ₱10.9K

111.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$586 ₱35.6K

42.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$387 ₱23.5K

87.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,752 ₱167.1K

3.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,142 ₱69.3K

7.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$215 ₱13.0K

152.07%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Cauayan City: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $261 in Cauayan City. 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 152% 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 Cauayan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $165 – making Cauayan City 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 Cauayan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Medellin, $691 in Cauayan City – roughly 47% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,037 in Cauayan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $691 in Cauayan City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $52.4 in Cauayan City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cauayan City, where all-in costs run around $691, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Cauayan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $691 in Cauayan City to $1,017 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Cauayan City. 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.