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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $744 in Laoag City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,103 in Laoag City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,463 in Laoag City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 126% more than Laoag City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Laoag City is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$3.71 ₱233

116.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$13.59 ₱851

252.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$2.87 ₱180

244.60%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.30 ₱144

36.09%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.59 ₱36.78

223.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.31 ₱19.36

387.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.13 ₱70.9

176.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$1.83 ₱115

214.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.59 ₱99.8

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.11 ₱69.6

124.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$0.98 ₱61.3

80.61%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.09 ₱131

41.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$6.03 ₱378

67.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.95 ₱436

45.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$6.88 ₱431

107.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.27 ₱142

82.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.63 ₱102

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.41 ₱151

-6.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.12 ₱70.0

100.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.01 ₱126

1.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.87 ₱117

-17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.82 ₱51.2

42.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.51 ₱32.24

156.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.78 ₱174

40.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$7.92 ₱496

76.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$0.92 ₱57.7

89.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.93 ₱121

48.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.25 ₱15.74

388.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$10.40 ₱652

673.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.82 ₱51.5

59.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.22 ₱13.70

895.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$1.88 ₱118

363.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.96 ₱60.2

42.71%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

29.70%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

82.90%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$124 ₱7,749

43.39%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$15.64 ₱980

-11.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$24.22 ₱1,518

22.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$13.61 ₱853

229.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$4.23 ₱265

304.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$5.10 ₱319

30.39%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$134 ₱8,400

506.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$8,856 ₱555.0K

3.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$32.02 ₱2,006

179.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$19.82 ₱1,242

197.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$72.4 ₱4,534

91.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$56.6 ₱3,547

80.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$263 ₱16.5K

303.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$182 ₱11.4K

263.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$375 ₱23.5K

403.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$352 ₱22.1K

191.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,614 ₱163.8K

60.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$898 ₱56.3K

86.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$158 ₱9,925

327.93%

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 Laoag City: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $263 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 328% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Laoag City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $193 – making Laoag 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 Laoag City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 126% more than Laoag City, 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 $1,116 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $744 in Laoag City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 674% less in Laoag City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $744 versus $1,681 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.