Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Davao Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Davao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $835 in Davao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,279 in Davao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,722 in Davao.

Living in Medellin is roughly 23% more expensive than in Davao, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Davao 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.54 ₱279

35.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$23.96 ₱1,475

36.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.64 ₱286

58.19%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.06 ₱127

-16.50%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.87 ₱53.3

20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.54 ₱32.95

42.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.41 ₱86.5

19.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.72 ₱106

84.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.68 ₱103

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.22 ₱75.0

6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.96 ₱59.4

45.83%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.06 ₱127

4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.20 ₱382

-29.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.60 ₱283

27.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.43 ₱457

16.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.88 ₱177

-20.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.14 ₱70.4

-2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$2.41 ₱148

-36.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.42 ₱87.3

-4.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.22 ₱137

-49.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.15 ₱194

-64.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.31 ₱80.7

-35.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.61 ₱37.28

49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.71 ₱167

-13.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.29 ₱510

49.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.41 ₱86.6

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.57 ₱96.4

58.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.22 ₱13.45

281.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$14.45 ₱890

180.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.90 ₱55.5

57.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.25 ₱15.47

668.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.10 ₱129

264.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.09 ₱66.9

-9.17%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$22.0K ₱1.4M

-18.02%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

26.83%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$105 ₱6,463

-23.02%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$33.78 ₱2,080

-70.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$35.75 ₱2,201

-32.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$41.25 ₱2,539

-39.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.34 ₱267

341.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.40 ₱271

-9.55%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$119 ₱7,315

156.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,829 ₱482.0K

-22.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$65.6 ₱4,040

-11.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.82 ₱1,836

7.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$77.8 ₱4,792

29.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$69.4 ₱4,273

55.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$321 ₱19.8K

48.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$183 ₱11.3K

105.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$816 ₱50.2K

3.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$361 ₱22.2K

102.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,621 ₱99.8K

98.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,447 ₱89.1K

-5.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$220 ₱13.5K

180.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.56

40.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Davao: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $321 in Davao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 181% 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 $24.00 in Davao. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $195, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Davao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Davao is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 181% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $321 in Davao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Davao – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $835 in Davao – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in Davao versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Davao but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Davao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Davao is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Davao 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 Davao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.