Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and General Trias Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and General Trias

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $729 in General Trias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,191 in General Trias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,654 in General Trias, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than General Trias, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and General Trias are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, General Trias 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.49 ₱273

32.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$20.00 ₱1,214

66.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$2.83 ₱172

155.48%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.10 ₱128

-22.38%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.43 ₱26.07

153.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.33 ₱20.29

121.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.27 ₱77.1

37.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.69 ₱103

91.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.06 ₱125

-49.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.24 ₱75.3

4.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.04 ₱63.4

26.92%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.03 ₱123

11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.93 ₱421

-37.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.20 ₱255

40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.35 ₱446

17.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$4.38 ₱266

-48.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.52 ₱92.6

-29.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.01 ₱183

-49.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.63 ₱98.8

-12.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.85 ₱173

-58.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$4.07 ₱247

-71.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.64 ₱99.7

-45.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.02 ₱61.9

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.28 ₱199

-31.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$9.01 ₱547

22.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.61 ₱97.6

-29.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.06 ₱125

15.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.26 ₱15.69

223.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.79 ₱47.70

78.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.24 ₱14.61

691.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.08 ₱126

272.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.15 ₱70.0

-12.17%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$12.8K ₱774.8K

37.76%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.3K ₱1.2M

30.39%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$35.61 ₱2,162

134.99%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$32.66 ₱1,983

-71.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$23.70 ₱1,439

1.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$33.28 ₱2,021

-23.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.52 ₱275

323.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.23 ₱439

-43.29%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$81.4 ₱4,945

283.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,750 ₱167.0K

117.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$31.72 ₱1,926

82.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$29.26 ₱1,777

11.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$97.4 ₱5,912

2.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$94.8 ₱5,758

14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$109 ₱6,628

341.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$177 ₱10.7K

114.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$179 ₱10.8K

369.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$392 ₱23.8K

84.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,175 ₱132.1K

30.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$883 ₱53.6K

38.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.13

65.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for General Trias: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $109 in General Trias. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in General Trias. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $226 in General Trias – 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 General Trias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 39% more than General Trias, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,093 in General Trias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in General Trias, 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $729 in General Trias. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $81.4 in General Trias. 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 General Trias, where all-in costs run around $729, than in Medellin at $1,017. In General Trias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. General Trias costs $729 versus $1,017 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 General Trias. 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.