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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $614 in Dipolog, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $839 in Dipolog, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,065 in Dipolog, rent included.

Medellin costs about 174% more than Dipolog, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Dipolog is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$1.38 ₱86.4

481.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$19.31 ₱1,213

147.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$2.75 ₱173

259.64%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.00 ₱126

56.50%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.69 ₱43.43

176.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.27 ₱16.88

459.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.06 ₱66.7

194.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.70 ₱107

238.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.61 ₱101

-10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.78 ₱48.74

219.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.83 ₱52.2

113.25%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.96 ₱123

51.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$5.86 ₱368

71.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.96 ₱249

155.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$5.47 ₱344

161.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.56 ₱97.8

165.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.08 ₱67.9

49.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.97 ₱186

-24.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.45 ₱91.0

55.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.87 ₱118

9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$2.80 ₱176

-45.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.40 ₱87.8

-16.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.61 ₱38.25

114.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.94 ₱185

32.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$4.05 ₱255

245.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.11 ₱69.7

56.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.31 ₱82.4

119.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.27 ₱17.11

351.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$11.16 ₱701

621.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.70 ₱43.74

87.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.34 ₱21.34

544.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$2.35 ₱148

270.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.93 ₱58.7

47.31%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

29.94%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

85.02%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$63.5 ₱3,990

179.21%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$7.97 ₱501

74.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$24.29 ₱1,526

22.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$31.52 ₱1,980

42.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$4.85 ₱305

252.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.72 ₱297

40.89%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$31.33 ₱1,968

2494.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$8,141 ₱511.5K

12.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$32.16 ₱2,021

178.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$19.45 ₱1,222

203.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$56.6 ₱3,556

144.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$23.87 ₱1,499

327.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$162 ₱10.2K

557.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$171 ₱10.8K

286.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$500 ₱31.4K

277.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$134 ₱8,399

668.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,582 ₱162.2K

62.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,055 ₱66.3K

58.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$238 ₱14.9K

185.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.33

49.25%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Dipolog: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $162 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 185% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Dipolog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $163 – making Dipolog the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 174% more than Dipolog, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $921 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.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $31.33 in Dipolog. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 87% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dipolog, where all-in costs run around $614, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $614 versus $1,681 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.