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: $1,030 in Medellin versus $546 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $990 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,434 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 89% more expensive than Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Dasmarinas 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.1K

$3.51 ₱212

68.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.3K

$13.37 ₱809

148.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$2.70 ₱163

168.52%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,118

$1.62 ₱98.3

5.56%

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

$1.09 COP 3,903

$0.53 ₱32.21

105.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,734

$0.30 ₱18.40

156.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,234

$1.03 ₱62.6

69.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$1.35 ₱81.8

135.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,780

$1.63 ₱98.9

-34.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,643

$1.10 ₱66.8

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,911

$0.84 ₱51.1

64.29%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,883

$1.99 ₱120

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.1K

$5.52 ₱334

-18.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$3.84 ₱232

51.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.0K

$7.80 ₱472

15.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,157

$2.69 ₱163

-14.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,779

$1.40 ₱84.6

-24.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,394

$1.74 ₱105

-13.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,854

$0.69 ₱41.95

97.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,133

$1.04 ₱62.9

11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,161

$2.30 ₱139

-49.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,951

$0.73 ₱44.29

13.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,034

$0.43 ₱25.77

97.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,397

$2.08 ₱126

12.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.6K

$9.19 ₱556

20.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,120

$1.07 ₱64.7

7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,826

$2.37 ₱143

4.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,818

$0.26 ₱15.69

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.3K

$4.50 ₱273

830.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,124

$0.87 ₱52.9

65.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,772

$0.24 ₱14.60

691.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.5K

$2.36 ₱143

226.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,669

$1.11 ₱67.4

-7.21%

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

$17.7K COP 63.1M

$32.1K ₱1.9M

-44.98%

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

$27.0K COP 96.4M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

30.32%

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

$81.4 COP 290.5K

$44.14 ₱2,671

84.46%

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

$9.42 COP 33.6K

$34.55 ₱2,091

-72.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 84.8K

$26.15 ₱1,582

-9.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.3K

$11.79 ₱713

119.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.0K

$4.52 ₱274

327.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$5.78 ₱350

-29.93%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$149 ₱9,017

109.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.6M

$4,807 ₱290.9K

26.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.0K

$48.47 ₱2,933

21.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.1K

$27.44 ₱1,660

19.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 358.5K

$75.8 ₱4,585

32.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 379.2K

$46.97 ₱2,842

126.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.7M

$265 ₱16.0K

84.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$82.8 ₱5,008

347.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$592 ₱35.8K

41.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$389 ₱23.5K

83.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$407 ₱24.6K

242.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$379 ₱22.9K

40.43%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Medellin and $265 in Dasmarinas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 40% 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 in Medellin vs $13 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 89% in total monthly costs ($1,030 vs $546 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 40% more on average, 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: $490 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 830% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $149 in Dasmarinas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $546 in Dasmarinas versus $1,030 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 89% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.