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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $808 in Laoag City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,233 in Laoag City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,658 in Laoag City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Laoag City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Laoag City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Laoag City 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.65 ₱223

61.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$14.92 ₱913

120.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.37 ₱207

120.47%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.38 ₱146

-30.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.82 ₱50.1

34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.36 ₱22.12

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.29 ₱79.1

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.18 ₱133

45.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.83 ₱112

-39.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.25 ₱76.6

0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.95 ₱57.9

45.26%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.32 ₱142

-6.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.86 ₱481

-42.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.83 ₱479

-26.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.93 ₱485

13.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.94 ₱180

-21.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.60 ₱97.7

-33.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.58 ₱158

-41.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.62 ₱99.2

-16.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.19 ₱134

-48.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.64 ₱161

-55.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.06 ₱64.8

-15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.71 ₱43.44

26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.01 ₱184

-25.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.32 ₱509

45.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.97 ₱59.1

22.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.96 ₱120

26.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.26 ₱15.91

226.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.82 ₱50.3

73.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.26 ₱15.98

650.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.14 ₱131

268.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.11 ₱68.0

-10.81%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.6K ₱1.6M

-33.80%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

29.22%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$111 ₱6,790

-25.16%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$32.65 ₱1,999

-70.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$26.91 ₱1,647

-12.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$14.87 ₱910

69.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.44 ₱272

330.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.78 ₱354

-31.66%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$155 ₱9,468

104.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,263 ₱260.9K

40.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$45.67 ₱2,796

31.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$26.95 ₱1,650

18.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.5 ₱4,680

32.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$53.7 ₱3,286

100.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$266 ₱16.3K

78.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$202 ₱12.3K

85.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$427 ₱26.1K

99.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$393 ₱24.0K

83.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,401 ₱147.0K

35.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,062 ₱65.0K

35.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$162 ₱9,915

285.51%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $266 in Laoag 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 286% 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 $15.00 in Laoag City. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $223 in Laoag 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 Laoag City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 24% more than Laoag City, 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 $1,212 in Laoag City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laoag City, 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 $808 in Laoag City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $155 in Laoag City. 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 Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $808, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Laoag City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Laoag City costs $808 versus $1,003 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Laoag 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.