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 $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $751 in Iligan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,131 in Iligan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,511 in Iligan City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 124% more than Iligan City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Iligan City is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$4.13 ₱255

91.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$19.26 ₱1,187

131.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$2.81 ₱173

230.60%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.08 ₱128

39.42%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.63 ₱38.63

187.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.35 ₱21.33

342.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.06 ₱65.1

206.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.72 ₱106

241.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$2.01 ₱124

-31.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.19 ₱73.3

105.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$0.90 ₱55.7

67.78%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.92 ₱119

44.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$5.39 ₱332

67.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.38 ₱270

143.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$7.14 ₱440

104.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.32 ₱143

71.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.64 ₱101

-15.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.36 ₱146

-2.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.17 ₱72.1

72.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$2.17 ₱134

-3.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$2.03 ₱125

-19.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.84 ₱51.6

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.58 ₱35.57

115.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.35 ₱207

20.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$7.94 ₱490

69.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$0.95 ₱58.6

68.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.24 ₱138

33.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.25 ₱15.24

372.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$13.02 ₱803

513.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.78 ₱47.94

106.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.25 ₱15.41

752.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$1.66 ₱102

413.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.21 ₱74.7

11.57%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$24.5K ₱1.5M

15.48%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

81.71%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$110 ₱6,750

38.25%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$16.11 ₱993

-18.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$24.78 ₱1,527

30.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$32.89 ₱2,028

40.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$4.52 ₱279

281.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$5.13 ₱317

25.34%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$126 ₱7,752

563.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$7,723 ₱476.1K

15.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$29.65 ₱1,828

201.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$21.27 ₱1,311

160.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$68.0 ₱4,193

100.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$60.8 ₱3,750

79.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$115 ₱7,091

727.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$176 ₱10.9K

279.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$515 ₱31.7K

292.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$352 ₱21.7K

225.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$2,410 ₱148.6K

53.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,019 ₱62.8K

55.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$204 ₱12.6K

205.92%

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 Iligan City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $115 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 206% 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 $19.00 in Iligan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $185 – making Iligan City 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 Iligan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,687 in Medellin, $751 in Iligan City – roughly 124% 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 $1,127 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.

Public transport costs about 514% less in Iligan City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $835 per month in Medellin and $126 in Iligan City. 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 Iligan City, where all-in costs run around $751, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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 $751 in Iligan City to $1,687 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.