Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cavite Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cavite

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $590 in Cavite, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $995 in Cavite, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,400 in Cavite, rent included.

Medellin costs about 75% more than Cavite, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Cavite are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Cavite 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.61 ₱161

126.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$13.42 ₱828

144.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$2.57 ₱159

180.16%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.94 ₱120

-12.37%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.67 ₱41.36

64.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.31 ₱19.05

132.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.23 ₱75.8

35.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.72 ₱106

80.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.72 ₱106

-38.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.24 ₱76.5

0.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.00 ₱61.9

39.00%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.16 ₱133

4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.43 ₱459

-41.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.87 ₱239

50.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.91 ₱426

27.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.62 ₱161

-14.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.30 ₱80.1

-16.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.29 ₱141

-33.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.20 ₱74.2

14.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.84 ₱113

-38.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.71 ₱105

-34.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.60 ₱37.29

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.62 ₱38.08

46.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.32 ₱143

0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.05 ₱312

120.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.03 ₱63.4

15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.44 ₱88.8

64.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.28 ₱17.42

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$3.13 ₱193

1214.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.72 ₱44.59

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.24 ₱14.85

695.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.41 ₱148

232.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.15 ₱70.9

-18.26%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$32.5K ₱2.0M

-44.78%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

29.10%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$50.8 ₱3,133

65.28%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.39 ₱1,073

-44.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$26.11 ₱1,610

-7.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$33.93 ₱2,093

-23.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.83 ₱360

-32.76%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$151 ₱9,324

102.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,745 ₱292.7K

24.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$40.78 ₱2,516

42.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$26.30 ₱1,622

20.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$74.7 ₱4,605

33.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$47.03 ₱2,901

127.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$158 ₱9,755

207.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$124 ₱7,661

196.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$269 ₱16.6K

207.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$396 ₱24.4K

80.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$234 ₱14.5K

132.69%

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 Cavite: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $158 in Cavite. 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 133% 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 Cavite. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $177 – making Cavite 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 Cavite: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $884 in Cavite. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cavite, 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 $590 in Cavite. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1214% less in Cavite. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cavite, where all-in costs run around $590, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Cavite it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cavite – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cavite. 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.