Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dipolog Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dipolog

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $682 in Dipolog, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,086 in Dipolog, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,491 in Dipolog, rent included.

Medellin costs about 49% more than Dipolog, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Dipolog are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Dipolog 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.21 ₱73.5

391.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$20.91 ₱1,270

59.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.58 ₱218

101.96%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.97 ₱120

-17.26%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.54 ₱32.59

101.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.30 ₱18.17

143.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.01 ₱61.4

72.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.80 ₱109

79.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.85 ₱112

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.22 ₱73.9

5.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.89 ₱54.0

48.31%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.17 ₱132

4.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.98 ₱363

-27.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.11 ₱250

43.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.04 ₱427

22.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.73 ₱226

-39.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.20 ₱72.9

-10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.36 ₱204

-54.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.61 ₱97.8

-11.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.54 ₱155

-53.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$3.16 ₱192

-62.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.60 ₱97.3

-44.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.93 ₱56.2

-3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.22 ₱196

-30.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.15 ₱252

166.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.29 ₱78.2

-11.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.39 ₱84.2

71.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.28 ₱17.19

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.68 ₱41.20

107.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.23 ₱13.93

726.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.61 ₱158

196.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.07 ₱65.2

-5.61%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$24.4K ₱1.5M

-27.86%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

36.79%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$65.5 ₱3,975

27.81%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$30.64 ₱1,861

-69.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$30.17 ₱1,832

-20.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$33.60 ₱2,040

-24.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.30 ₱261

345.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.46 ₱271

-8.07%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$35.33 ₱2,145

782.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,338 ₱263.4K

38.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$45.26 ₱2,748

28.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$22.67 ₱1,377

43.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$61.1 ₱3,707

63.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$26.36 ₱1,601

311.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$263 ₱15.9K

83.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$180 ₱10.9K

110.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$580 ₱35.2K

44.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$389 ₱23.6K

85.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,769 ₱168.2K

2.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$931 ₱56.5K

31.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$248 ₱15.1K

117.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dipolog: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $263 in Dipolog. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 118% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Dipolog. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $199 in Dipolog – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Dipolog: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 49% more than Dipolog, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,023 in Dipolog. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dipolog, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $682 in Dipolog. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $35.33 in Dipolog. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dipolog, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Dipolog it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dipolog costs $682 versus $1,017 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Dipolog. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.