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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $689 in Dipolog, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,091 in Dipolog, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,493 in Dipolog, rent included.

Medellin costs about 50% more than Dipolog, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Dipolog are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Dipolog 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.23 ₱75.6

381.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$20.85 ₱1,286

57.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.58 ₱221

101.12%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.97 ₱122

-13.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.53 ₱32.77

107.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.30 ₱18.28

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$0.94 ₱57.9

77.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.72 ₱106

80.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.79 ₱111

-40.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.23 ₱75.9

1.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.88 ₱54.3

57.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.24 ₱138

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.95 ₱367

-27.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.28 ₱264

36.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.71 ₱414

31.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.58 ₱221

-37.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.19 ₱73.5

-9.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.30 ₱204

-53.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.61 ₱99.6

-14.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.66 ₱164

-57.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$3.16 ₱195

-64.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.69 ₱104

-49.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.85 ₱52.6

7.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.12 ₱192

-25.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.05 ₱250

174.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.29 ₱79.5

-7.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.39 ₱85.5

70.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.28 ₱17.39

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.68 ₱42.09

111.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.25 ₱15.43

664.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.62 ₱161

206.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.08 ₱66.4

-12.96%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$23.7K ₱1.5M

-24.45%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

38.38%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$66.8 ₱4,117

25.78%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$30.92 ₱1,907

-68.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$30.36 ₱1,872

-20.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$33.61 ₱2,073

-23.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.54 ₱280

319.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.41 ₱272

-11.11%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$35.83 ₱2,210

755.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,389 ₱270.7K

34.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$45.15 ₱2,785

28.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$22.77 ₱1,405

39.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$63.0 ₱3,884

58.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$26.74 ₱1,649

300.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$266 ₱16.4K

83.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$174 ₱10.7K

111.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$591 ₱36.4K

39.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$393 ₱24.3K

81.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,431 ₱150.0K

20.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$251 ₱15.5K

117.57%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dipolog: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $266 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 $197 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 50% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,034 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $689 in Dipolog. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $35.83 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 $689, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $689 versus $1,034 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.