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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $683 in Cauayan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,050 in Cauayan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,417 in Cauayan City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 51% more than Cauayan City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.62 ₱223

63.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$13.25 ₱817

147.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$2.71 ₱167

165.68%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.28 ₱141

-25.44%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.33 ₱20.48

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.31 ₱18.85

132.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.03 ₱63.7

62.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.74 ₱107

78.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.69 ₱104

-37.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.21 ₱74.5

3.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.93 ₱57.4

49.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.45 ₱89.4

55.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.06 ₱312

-14.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.76 ₱232

55.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.06 ₱435

25.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.14 ₱132

4.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.77 ₱47.67

40.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.08 ₱128

-26.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.68 ₱42.00

101.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.87 ₱53.5

29.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.35 ₱83.1

-17.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.69 ₱42.49

23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.69 ₱42.41

31.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.55 ₱157

-8.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.90 ₱549

25.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.04 ₱63.9

14.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.19 ₱135

8.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.26 ₱15.88

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.87 ₱53.7

65.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.22 ₱13.50

768.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.46 ₱152

226.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.15 ₱71.0

-18.26%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$17.7K ₱1.1M

1.52%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

29.85%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$90.1 ₱5,557

-6.81%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$34.63 ₱2,136

-72.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$26.29 ₱1,622

-8.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$34.18 ₱2,109

-24.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.36 ₱269

336.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.27 ₱263

-8.20%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$52.2 ₱3,222

486.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,784 ₱110.0K

231.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$26.94 ₱1,662

114.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$21.45 ₱1,323

48.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$52.7 ₱3,249

89.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$47.29 ₱2,917

126.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$268 ₱16.5K

81.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$175 ₱10.8K

109.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$576 ₱35.5K

43.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$393 ₱24.2K

82.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,605 ₱160.7K

12.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$213 ₱13.1K

156.49%

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 Cauayan City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $268 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 156% 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 $164 – 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: $1,034 in Medellin, $683 in Cauayan City – roughly 51% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,025 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $683 in Cauayan City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $52.2 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 $683, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $683 in Cauayan City to $1,034 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.