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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $821 in Davao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,263 in Davao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,705 in Davao.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Davao 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.41 ₱272

35.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$24.31 ₱1,499

35.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.62 ₱285

53.46%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.13 ₱131

-19.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.88 ₱54.2

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.53 ₱32.92

47.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.39 ₱85.4

20.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.80 ₱111

70.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.76 ₱108

-38.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.26 ₱77.5

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.91 ₱56.3

51.65%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.06 ₱127

6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.89 ₱363

-25.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.50 ₱278

25.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.12 ₱439

24.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.88 ₱178

-18.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.13 ₱69.8

-6.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.40 ₱148

-37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.34 ₱82.6

2.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.22 ₱137

-48.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$3.15 ₱194

-63.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.32 ₱81.6

-32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.57 ₱34.96

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.64 ₱163

-13.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.01 ₱494

32.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.40 ₱86.3

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.56 ₱96.2

58.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.24 ₱14.84

258.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$14.15 ₱873

192.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.85 ₱52.3

72.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.23 ₱14.08

752.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.16 ₱133

258.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.09 ₱67.0

-12.84%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$21.9K ₱1.4M

-17.30%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

27.16%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$104 ₱6,405

-20.81%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$33.96 ₱2,094

-72.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$35.46 ₱2,187

-31.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$40.61 ₱2,504

-36.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.40 ₱272

331.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.40 ₱271

-10.68%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$119 ₱7,328

160.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,012 ₱494.0K

-25.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$65.6 ₱4,043

-10.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$30.07 ₱1,854

7.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$77.7 ₱4,792

32.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$67.8 ₱4,183

59.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$330 ₱20.4K

44.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$184 ₱11.3K

106.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$814 ₱50.2K

2.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$370 ₱22.8K

95.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,654 ₱102.0K

68.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,457 ₱89.9K

-16.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$216 ₱13.3K

137.19%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Davao: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $330 in Davao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 137% 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 $188 vs $192, 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.

Medellin pays 137% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $330 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 $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $821 in Davao – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $821 in Davao versus $1,013 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.