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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $735 in General Trias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,215 in General Trias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,695 in General Trias, rent included.

Medellin costs about 36% more than General Trias, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and General Trias are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, General Trias 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.42 ₱270

33.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$20.78 ₱1,272

58.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$2.86 ₱175

159.79%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.08 ₱128

-20.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.46 ₱27.94

139.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.34 ₱20.65

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.22 ₱74.8

40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.69 ₱104

88.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.08 ₱127

-47.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.20 ₱73.6

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.09 ₱66.8

26.61%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.03 ₱124

7.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.94 ₱425

-35.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.35 ₱266

33.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.34 ₱450

22.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.40 ₱269

-47.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.53 ₱93.5

-30.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.02 ₱185

-49.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.66 ₱102

-18.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.84 ₱174

-60.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$4.03 ₱247

-70.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.59 ₱97.1

-43.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.01 ₱61.9

-10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.15 ₱193

-29.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.76 ₱536

38.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.62 ₱99.0

-26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.98 ₱121

25.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.28 ₱17.20

203.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.76 ₱46.58

86.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.22 ₱13.42

786.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.08 ₱127

279.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.10 ₱67.1

-10.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$13.0K ₱796.9K

35.20%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

32.95%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$34.76 ₱2,128

138.81%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$32.88 ₱2,012

-70.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$24.23 ₱1,483

-2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$34.29 ₱2,099

-26.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.30 ₱263

344.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.95 ₱425

-43.17%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$82.4 ₱5,044

283.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$2,823 ₱172.8K

111.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$31.74 ₱1,943

89.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$30.08 ₱1,841

5.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$98.7 ₱6,043

2.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$93.9 ₱5,745

14.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$109 ₱6,660

336.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$177 ₱10.9K

110.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$180 ₱11.0K

372.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$387 ₱23.7K

85.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,189 ₱134.0K

49.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$905 ₱55.4K

59.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for General Trias: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 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 $21.00 in General Trias. Groceries tell a different story – $193 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 36% 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,102 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $735 in General Trias. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $82.4 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 $735, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $735 versus $1,003 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.