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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $804 in Laoag City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,206 in Laoag City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,609 in Laoag City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 29% more than Laoag City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Laoag City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Laoag City 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.46 ₱213

71.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$15.29 ₱943

114.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.40 ₱210

111.76%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.37 ₱146

-28.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.76 ₱47.09

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.36 ₱22.46

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.31 ₱80.7

27.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.08 ₱128

49.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.83 ₱113

-42.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.28 ₱78.7

-2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.93 ₱57.2

49.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.25 ₱139

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.18 ₱505

-47.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.56 ₱466

-22.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.94 ₱490

11.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.94 ₱181

-23.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.52 ₱93.5

-28.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.72 ₱167

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.60 ₱98.5

-14.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.22 ₱137

-49.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.50 ₱154

-55.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.12 ₱69.2

-24.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.77 ₱47.68

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.01 ₱186

-22.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.27 ₱510

34.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.01 ₱62.4

17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.03 ₱125

16.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.28 ₱17.48

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.82 ₱50.6

75.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.26 ₱16.04

634.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.07 ₱128

287.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.06 ₱65.6

-11.32%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.3K ₱1.6M

-31.95%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

30.47%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$113 ₱6,939

-25.37%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$32.85 ₱2,026

-70.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$26.65 ₱1,644

-9.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$14.77 ₱911

75.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.33 ₱267

339.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.02 ₱371

-34.88%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$152 ₱9,386

101.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,276 ₱263.8K

38.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$45.94 ₱2,834

26.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.11 ₱1,672

17.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$76.8 ₱4,735

30.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$53.6 ₱3,303

100.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$263 ₱16.2K

85.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$204 ₱12.6K

80.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$423 ₱26.1K

95.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$400 ₱24.7K

79.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,376 ₱146.6K

23.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$164 ₱10.1K

232.85%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 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 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 $224 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 29% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,206 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $804 in Laoag City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $152 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 $804, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $804 versus $1,034 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.