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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $555 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $974 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,393 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 85% more expensive than in Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Dasmarinas 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.58 ₱216

67.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$13.40 ₱812

145.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$2.64 ₱160

181.06%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$1.57 ₱94.9

5.10%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.53 ₱32.26

101.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.33 ₱20.20

130.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$1.04 ₱62.8

65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$1.31 ₱79.5

144.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.60 ₱96.9

-34.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.06 ₱64.1

23.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$0.85 ₱51.7

57.65%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$1.99 ₱121

10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$5.69 ₱345

-22.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$3.72 ₱225

52.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$8.02 ₱485

6.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$2.68 ₱163

-12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.41 ₱85.2

-21.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.80 ₱109

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$0.70 ₱42.13

95.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.03 ₱62.5

11.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$2.23 ₱135

-47.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$0.73 ₱44.24

15.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.43 ₱25.82

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$2.14 ₱130

5.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$9.08 ₱550

27.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.07 ₱65.0

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.37 ₱143

4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.28 ₱17.03

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$4.31 ₱261

847.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$0.86 ₱52.1

70.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.24 ₱14.54

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$2.33 ₱141

233.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.11 ₱67.1

-9.01%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$32.2K ₱1.9M

-45.11%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$20.1K ₱1.2M

31.82%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$43.24 ₱2,618

87.56%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$34.85 ₱2,110

-72.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$26.41 ₱1,599

-9.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$11.67 ₱707

122.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$4.32 ₱262

333.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$5.65 ₱342

-27.61%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$153 ₱9,233

106.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$4,719 ₱285.7K

27.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$48.98 ₱2,965

21.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$27.53 ₱1,667

16.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$76.5 ₱4,632

32.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$46.91 ₱2,840

124.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$265 ₱16.0K

83.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$85.3 ₱5,163

328.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$589 ₱35.7K

40.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$402 ₱24.3K

81.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$392 ₱23.7K

235.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$379 ₱22.9K

45.31%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $265 in Dasmarinas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 45% 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 $190 vs $174 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 85% in total monthly costs ($1,028 vs $555 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 45% 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: $485 in Medellin versus $265 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 847% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $315 in Medellin versus $153 in Dasmarinas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $555 in Dasmarinas versus $1,028 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 85% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.