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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $852 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,330 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,807 in Dumaguete.

Living in Medellin is roughly 21% more expensive than in Dumaguete, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Dumaguete 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.25 ₱200

89.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$14.16 ₱872

130.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.47 ₱275

64.21%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.33 ₱143

-26.18%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.72 ₱44.34

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.36 ₱22.41

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.08 ₱66.4

56.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.08 ₱128

52.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.73 ₱107

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.47 ₱90.2

-11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.02 ₱63.0

37.25%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.00 ₱123

8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.83 ₱605

-55.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.11 ₱314

15.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.69 ₱474

12.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.81 ₱112

25.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.38 ₱84.8

-19.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.97 ₱244

-61.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.39 ₱85.4

-2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.38 ₱146

-52.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.52 ₱155

-55.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.92 ₱56.8

-7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.64 ₱39.50

42.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.72 ₱167

-13.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.00 ₱493

54.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.21 ₱74.6

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.96 ₱120

27.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.47 ₱28.78

78.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$8.96 ₱552

352.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.83 ₱50.9

71.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.27 ₱16.79

611.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$0.91 ₱56.3

741.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.15 ₱70.6

-13.91%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.0K ₱1.4M

-21.62%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$39.3K ₱2.4M

-32.23%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$72.3 ₱4,451

11.77%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$45.08 ₱2,775

-77.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$29.31 ₱1,804

-17.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$23.57 ₱1,451

6.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$3.50 ₱215

447.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.21 ₱383

-35.91%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$71.3 ₱4,391

327.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,875 ₱115.4K

223.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$107 ₱6,588

-45.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.68 ₱2,197

-9.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$112 ₱6,908

-10.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$84.7 ₱5,214

27.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$239 ₱14.7K

99.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$209 ₱12.9K

80.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$430 ₱26.5K

96.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$421 ₱25.9K

73.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,056 ₱188.1K

5.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$702 ₱43.2K

95.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$292 ₱18.0K

111.44%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $239 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 111% 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 $193 vs $212, 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 21% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $852 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 111% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $239 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $852 in Dumaguete – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 353% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $852 in Dumaguete versus $1,031 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 21% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.