Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dasmarinas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dasmarinas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $540 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $967 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,395 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 86% more expensive than in Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Dasmarinas 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.47 ₱213

70.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$13.24 ₱810

148.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$2.61 ₱160

184.67%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.57 ₱96.3

5.10%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.58 ₱35.63

89.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.33 ₱20.34

136.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.05 ₱64.2

63.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.32 ₱80.8

140.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.59 ₱97.3

-30.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.11 ₱68.2

13.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.85 ₱51.9

62.35%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.02 ₱124

7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$5.65 ₱346

-20.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.86 ₱236

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.11 ₱497

10.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.62 ₱160

-11.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.45 ₱88.7

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.72 ₱105

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.68 ₱41.92

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.09 ₱66.5

3.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.24 ₱137

-47.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.67 ₱40.92

34.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.46 ₱27.97

95.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.09 ₱128

6.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$9.08 ₱556

33.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.08 ₱65.8

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.27 ₱139

9.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.26 ₱15.75

226.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$4.46 ₱273

833.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.90 ₱55.1

57.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.22 ₱13.43

786.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.37 ₱145

232.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.11 ₱68.2

-10.81%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$31.4K ₱1.9M

-43.96%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.1K ₱1.2M

33.42%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$43.55 ₱2,666

90.61%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$34.36 ₱2,103

-71.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$25.77 ₱1,578

-8.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$11.83 ₱724

113.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.54 ₱278

320.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.63 ₱345

-29.84%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$153 ₱9,379

106.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,640 ₱284.0K

28.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$48.00 ₱2,938

25.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$27.89 ₱1,707

14.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.0 ₱4,652

33.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$46.13 ₱2,823

132.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$269 ₱16.5K

76.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$85.2 ₱5,217

338.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$595 ₱36.4K

42.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$388 ₱23.8K

85.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$387 ₱23.7K

272.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$370 ₱22.6K

68.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.4

109.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $269 in Dasmarinas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 69% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $13.00 in Dasmarinas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $175 per month, with Dasmarinas cheaper across the board.

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 Dasmarinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Dasmarinas differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $540 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 69% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $269 in Dasmarinas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dasmarinas runs roughly 833% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $153 in Dasmarinas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $540 in Dasmarinas versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dasmarinas but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dasmarinas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Dasmarinas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dasmarinas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.