Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iligan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iligan City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $780 in Iligan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,226 in Iligan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,672 in Iligan City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 32% more than Iligan City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Iligan City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Iligan City 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.52 ₱213

70.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$17.76 ₱1,075

84.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$3.22 ₱195

130.43%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.39 ₱145

-30.96%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.83 ₱50.3

28.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.37 ₱22.28

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$1.37 ₱82.9

25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.18 ₱132

46.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$2.20 ₱133

-52.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.20 ₱72.8

9.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$0.95 ₱57.4

41.05%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.08 ₱126

5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$8.08 ₱489

-45.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$4.89 ₱296

16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$7.85 ₱475

8.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$2.88 ₱174

-18.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.54 ₱93.2

-27.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$2.69 ₱163

-43.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.59 ₱96.6

-13.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$2.21 ₱134

-47.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$2.53 ₱153

-53.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.07 ₱64.9

-21.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.71 ₱42.72

21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$2.82 ₱171

-19.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$8.26 ₱500

40.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.16 ₱69.9

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$1.97 ₱119

25.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.28 ₱17.02

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$0.78 ₱47.05

88.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.24 ₱14.62

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$2.09 ₱127

271.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.09 ₱65.9

-7.34%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

-32.43%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

27.71%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$113 ₱6,821

-28.01%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$33.25 ₱2,013

-71.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$27.30 ₱1,653

-12.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$34.50 ₱2,089

-24.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$4.56 ₱276

310.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$5.87 ₱355

-30.32%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$149 ₱9,003

111.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$4,330 ₱262.1K

39.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$45.55 ₱2,758

31.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$26.86 ₱1,626

19.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$76.4 ₱4,625

32.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$53.2 ₱3,218

97.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$266 ₱16.1K

82.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$175 ₱10.6K

108.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$580 ₱35.1K

42.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$389 ₱23.6K

87.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,179 ₱131.9K

37.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$947 ₱57.3K

38.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$206 ₱12.5K

167.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Iligan City: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $266 in Iligan City. 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 167% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Iligan City. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $211 in Iligan City – 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 Iligan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,028 in Medellin, $780 in Iligan City – roughly 32% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,170 in Iligan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $18.00 in Iligan City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iligan City, where all-in costs run around $780, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Iligan City 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 $780 in Iligan City to $1,028 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Iligan City. 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.