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: $1,716 in Medellin versus $805 in Davao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $1,239 in Davao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $1,672 in Davao.

Living in Medellin is roughly 113% more expensive than in Davao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Davao is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$4.95 ₱310

62.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$26.82 ₱1,680

79.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$3.98 ₱249

145.48%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.71 ₱170

7.38%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.10 ₱68.9

76.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.69 ₱43.37

120.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$1.63 ₱102

89.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$2.34 ₱146

145.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.94 ₱121

-29.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.10 ₱68.7

117.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$0.91 ₱57.1

86.81%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.93 ₱121

48.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$6.91 ₱433

43.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.24 ₱266

154.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$8.40 ₱526

75.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.67 ₱167

53.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.07 ₱67.0

46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.28 ₱143

-6.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.16 ₱72.7

90.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$2.11 ₱132

-2.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$3.54 ₱222

-57.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.19 ₱74.5

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.66 ₱41.13

75.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.42 ₱152

61.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$7.93 ₱497

82.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.24 ₱77.7

27.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$1.58 ₱98.7

79.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.33 ₱20.59

254.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$13.43 ₱841

478.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.83 ₱51.7

54.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.23 ₱14.32

808.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$1.90 ₱119

353.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.16 ₱72.4

12.07%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

30.41%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

84.51%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$106 ₱6,654

65.71%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$18.90 ₱1,183

-29.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$30.97 ₱1,939

-3.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$35.64 ₱2,232

25.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$3.63 ₱227

369.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.94 ₱309

25.51%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$107 ₱6,685

643.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$7,664 ₱479.9K

17.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$62.3 ₱3,901

37.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$26.84 ₱1,681

117.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$71.2 ₱4,458

91.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$61.9 ₱3,873

66.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$282 ₱17.6K

276.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$169 ₱10.6K

301.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$631 ₱39.5K

218.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$327 ₱20.5K

257.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,618 ₱101.3K

154.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,423 ₱89.1K

19.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$210 ₱13.1K

217.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.31

31.65%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Davao: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $282 in Davao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 217% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Davao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $195 per month, with Davao 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 Davao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Davao is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 217% 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: $1,060 in Medellin versus $282 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 $27.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,716 per month in Medellin versus $805 in Davao – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $805 in Davao versus $1,716 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 113% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.