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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $625 in General Trias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $983 in General Trias, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,341 in General Trias, rent included.

Medellin costs about 169% more than General Trias, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while General Trias is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$3.92 ₱246

104.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$16.65 ₱1,046

187.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$2.56 ₱161

286.33%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.80 ₱113

73.89%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.41 ₱25.77

365.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.33 ₱21.03

357.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.02 ₱64.1

205.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.55 ₱97.4

270.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.63 ₱102

-11.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.12 ₱70.1

122.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.99 ₱62.4

78.79%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.05 ₱129

44.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$5.21 ₱327

93.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.46 ₱217

192.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.87 ₱495

81.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.29 ₱144

80.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.56 ₱98.0

3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.33 ₱146

-3.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.07 ₱66.9

110.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.66 ₱105

22.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.71 ₱107

-9.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.66 ₱41.19

77.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.52 ₱32.74

151.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$3.01 ₱189

29.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$8.53 ₱536

64.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$0.99 ₱62.0

75.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.97 ₱124

45.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.28 ₱17.75

335.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$9.69 ₱609

730.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.75 ₱47.43

74.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.25 ₱15.80

776.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$1.95 ₱122

346.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.20 ₱75.2

14.17%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$11.4K ₱719.1K

143.20%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

84.94%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$32.01 ₱2,011

453.89%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$17.66 ₱1,110

-21.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$21.11 ₱1,326

40.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$30.13 ₱1,893

48.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$5.12 ₱321

234.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$5.21 ₱327

27.64%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$133 ₱8,358

511.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$10.5K ₱661.7K

-12.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$29.32 ₱1,842

205.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$19.64 ₱1,234

200.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$72.3 ₱4,543

91.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$56.4 ₱3,545

81.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$96.8 ₱6,079

997.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$145 ₱9,134

355.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$503 ₱31.6K

275.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$328 ₱20.6K

213.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,496 ₱156.8K

67.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$993 ₱62.4K

68.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for General Trias: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $96.8 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in General Trias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $175 – making General Trias 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 General Trias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 169% more than General Trias, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $938 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.

Public transport costs about 731% less in General Trias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $133 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 $625, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $625 versus $1,681 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.