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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $814 in Laoag City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,231 in Laoag City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,648 in Laoag City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Laoag City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Laoag City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Laoag City 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.66 ₱222

62.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$15.15 ₱920

120.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.29 ₱200

119.76%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.40 ₱145

-32.08%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.84 ₱50.8

29.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.39 ₱23.77

87.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.31 ₱79.5

32.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.14 ₱130

50.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.91 ₱116

-45.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.25 ₱76.2

3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.95 ₱57.7

38.95%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.25 ₱137

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.13 ₱494

-46.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.52 ₱456

-21.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.87 ₱478

9.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.01 ₱182

-25.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.55 ₱94.0

-30.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.70 ₱164

-43.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.55 ₱94.2

-8.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.23 ₱136

-47.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.53 ₱154

-53.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.07 ₱65.3

-16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.71 ₱42.92

26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.09 ₱187

-27.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.08 ₱491

36.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.02 ₱61.9

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.03 ₱123

17.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.26 ₱15.78

223.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.81 ₱49.25

74.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.24 ₱14.44

691.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.09 ₱127

270.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.12 ₱67.9

-9.82%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.8K ₱1.6M

-34.35%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

27.90%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$113 ₱6,858

-25.91%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$33.32 ₱2,023

-71.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$26.86 ₱1,631

-10.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$15.33 ₱931

65.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.36 ₱265

338.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.06 ₱368

-32.34%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$153 ₱9,302

103.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,377 ₱265.8K

36.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$45.99 ₱2,792

26.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$26.64 ₱1,618

22.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$76.4 ₱4,636

30.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$52.2 ₱3,169

108.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$266 ₱16.2K

81.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$208 ₱12.6K

82.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$419 ₱25.5K

99.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$387 ₱23.5K

86.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,414 ₱146.6K

17.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$995 ₱60.4K

22.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$162 ₱9,859

233.11%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 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 233% 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 – $190 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 25% 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,222 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $814 in Laoag City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $153 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 $814, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $814 versus $1,017 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.