Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Nido Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Nido

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $734 in El Nido, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,159 in El Nido, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,585 in El Nido, rent included.

Medellin costs about 130% more than El Nido, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while El Nido is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$4.72 ₱291

67.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$30.85 ₱1,902

44.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$3.80 ₱234

144.47%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.27 ₱140

27.75%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.24 ₱76.5

45.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.32 ₱19.92

384.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.05 ₱64.9

209.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.54 ₱94.8

281.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.85 ₱114

-25.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.14 ₱70.4

114.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.36 ₱83.8

11.03%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.91 ₱118

45.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$4.72 ₱291

91.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$3.90 ₱240

173.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$7.40 ₱456

97.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.36 ₱145

68.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.54 ₱94.7

-10.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.09 ₱129

10.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.19 ₱73.3

69.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$2.08 ₱128

0.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.95 ₱120

-16.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.74 ₱45.31

45.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.56 ₱34.72

123.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.16 ₱195

27.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$9.16 ₱564

47.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.04 ₱64.3

53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.26 ₱139

32.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.25 ₱15.49

372.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$11.27 ₱695

609.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.71 ₱43.69

126.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.27 ₱16.93

688.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$1.84 ₱114

363.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.34 ₱82.5

0.75%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$24.0K ₱1.5M

18.04%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$20.0K ₱1.2M

78.66%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$123 ₱7,578

23.15%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$14.36 ₱885

-8.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$24.59 ₱1,516

31.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$35.03 ₱2,160

32.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$4.88 ₱301

253.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$6.05 ₱373

6.28%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$146 ₱9,018

470.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$8,573 ₱528.5K

3.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$33.75 ₱2,081

164.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$20.72 ₱1,278

166.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$70.8 ₱4,367

92.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$54.5 ₱3,362

100.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$276 ₱17.0K

244.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$197 ₱12.1K

239.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$495 ₱30.5K

307.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$400 ₱24.7K

186.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$2,382 ₱146.9K

55.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,017 ₱62.7K

55.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$257 ₱15.8K

143.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

6.75

54.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for El Nido: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $276 in El Nido. 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 143% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in El Nido. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $182 – making El Nido 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 El Nido: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,687 in Medellin, $734 in El Nido – roughly 130% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,101 in El Nido. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 609% less in El Nido. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $835 per month in Medellin and $146 in El Nido. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Nido, where all-in costs run around $734, than in Medellin at $1,687. In El Nido it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $734 in El Nido to $1,687 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with El Nido. 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.