Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dumaguete Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dumaguete

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $861 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,330 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,800 in Dumaguete.

Living in Medellin is roughly 18% more expensive than Dumaguete, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Dumaguete 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.21 ₱198

86.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$14.15 ₱873

132.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.39 ₱270

61.50%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.32 ₱143

-26.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.77 ₱47.19

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.36 ₱22.29

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.07 ₱66.1

57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.14 ₱132

43.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.74 ₱107

-37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.44 ₱88.6

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.03 ₱63.6

33.98%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.00 ₱124

9.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.46 ₱583

-53.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.11 ₱315

10.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.99 ₱493

11.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.76 ₱108

32.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.38 ₱85.4

-23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$4.05 ₱250

-62.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.38 ₱85.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.40 ₱148

-52.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.62 ₱162

-55.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.86 ₱52.8

3.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.61 ₱37.54

37.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.59 ₱159

-11.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.99 ₱493

33.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.22 ₱75.4

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.96 ₱121

26.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.50 ₱30.84

72.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$8.90 ₱549

365.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.78 ₱47.88

88.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.27 ₱16.83

625.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$0.91 ₱56.1

750.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.15 ₱70.6

-17.39%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$22.7K ₱1.4M

-20.04%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$38.5K ₱2.4M

-31.24%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$74.3 ₱4,580

10.73%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$44.54 ₱2,747

-78.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$29.05 ₱1,791

-16.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$23.73 ₱1,463

9.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$3.50 ₱216

442.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.15 ₱379

-36.10%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$70.7 ₱4,361

337.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,887 ₱116.4K

216.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$108 ₱6,646

-45.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$35.97 ₱2,218

-10.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$110 ₱6,799

-6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$84.5 ₱5,209

28.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$242 ₱14.9K

96.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$213 ₱13.1K

78.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$439 ₱27.1K

90.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$417 ₱25.7K

73.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$3,117 ₱192.2K

-10.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$689 ₱42.5K

75.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$283 ₱17.5K

80.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.5

106.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $242 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 81% 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 $14.00 in Dumaguete. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $211, 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 Dumaguete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Dumaguete differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $861 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 81% 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 $242 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $861 in Dumaguete – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 365% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Dumaguete versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dumaguete but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dumaguete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.