Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Las Pinas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Las Pinas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $716 in Las Pinas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,116 in Las Pinas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,515 in Las Pinas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 135% more than Las Pinas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Las Pinas is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$4.03 ₱253

99.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$23.72 ₱1,488

101.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$2.75 ₱172

259.64%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.77 ₱111

76.84%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.13 ₱71.1

69.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.43 ₱26.91

251.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.21 ₱76.0

157.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.36 ₱148

143.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.69 ₱106

-14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.11 ₱69.4

124.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.03 ₱64.6

71.84%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.02 ₱127

46.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$4.97 ₱312

102.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.38 ₱212

199.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$6.96 ₱436

105.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.30 ₱144

80.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.60 ₱100

0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.41 ₱151

-6.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.02 ₱64.1

120.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.68 ₱105

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.70 ₱107

-9.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.67 ₱41.86

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.49 ₱30.64

167.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.95 ₱185

32.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$9.63 ₱604

45.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.96 ₱60.4

81.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.06 ₱129

39.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.20 ₱12.52

510.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$11.56 ₱725

596.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.80 ₱50.2

63.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.23 ₱14.47

852.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.87 ₱117

365.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.18 ₱74.2

16.10%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

29.06%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

87.89%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$122 ₱7,662

45.13%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$14.98 ₱940

-7.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$23.79 ₱1,492

24.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$32.30 ₱2,026

38.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$5.29 ₱332

223.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.14 ₱322

29.38%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$132 ₱8,252

517.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$8,874 ₱556.6K

3.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$32.55 ₱2,042

174.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$19.56 ₱1,227

201.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$72.5 ₱4,549

90.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$56.7 ₱3,554

80.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$242 ₱15.2K

339.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$174 ₱10.9K

280.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$491 ₱30.8K

284.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$351 ₱22.0K

192.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,320 ₱145.5K

80.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,062 ₱66.6K

57.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$619 ₱38.8K

9.42%

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 Las Pinas: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $242 in Las Pinas. 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 9% 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 $24.00 in Las Pinas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $174 – making Las Pinas 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 Las Pinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $716 in Las Pinas – roughly 135% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,075 in Las Pinas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Las Pinas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $24.00 in Las Pinas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $716 in Las Pinas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Pinas, where all-in costs run around $716, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Las Pinas 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 $716 in Las Pinas to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Las Pinas. 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.