Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dagupan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dagupan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $804 in Dagupan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,178 in Dagupan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,552 in Dagupan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Dagupan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Dagupan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Dagupan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.16 ₱194

87.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$13.47 ₱824

144.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.81 ₱294

54.47%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.84 ₱174

-41.90%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.54 ₱33.14

103.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.26 ₱15.73

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.29 ₱79.2

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.98 ₱182

6.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.11 ₱129

-47.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.50 ₱91.7

-16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.84 ₱51.3

64.29%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.18 ₱133

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.31 ₱386

-28.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.41 ₱270

31.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.93 ₱486

13.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.47 ₱273

-48.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.94 ₱119

-45.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.57 ₱157

-40.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.27 ₱77.9

7.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$3.28 ₱201

-65.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.95 ₱181

-60.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.08 ₱66.1

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.59 ₱36.26

52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.65 ₱162

-15.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$5.80 ₱355

108.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.94 ₱57.5

26.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.18 ₱133

13.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.24 ₱14.77

254.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.68 ₱41.35

108.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.24 ₱14.69

712.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.61 ₱221

118.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.12 ₱68.5

-11.61%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$33.2K ₱2.0M

-47.05%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.1K ₱1.4M

21.15%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$113 ₱6,922

-26.60%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$27.00 ₱1,652

-64.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$28.72 ₱1,758

-18.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$37.61 ₱2,302

-32.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.39 ₱269

335.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.81 ₱356

-32.01%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$114 ₱6,976

177.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,256 ₱260.5K

40.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$60.6 ₱3,707

-0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$9.06 ₱554

251.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$84.2 ₱5,156

20.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$50.7 ₱3,102

112.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$227 ₱13.9K

109.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$176 ₱10.7K

113.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$535 ₱32.7K

58.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$292 ₱17.9K

146.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$483 ₱29.6K

198.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$243 ₱14.9K

156.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $227 in Dagupan. 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 157% 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 Dagupan. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $211 in Dagupan – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Dagupan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,206 in Dagupan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dagupan, 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 Dagupan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dagupan, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Dagupan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Dagupan. 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.