😐A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $671 in Legazpi, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,011 in Legazpi, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,350 in Legazpi, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 150% more than Legazpi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Legazpi is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Legazpi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02COP 25.0K
$3.14₱197
155.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87COP 149.4K
$16.99₱1,066
181.75%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.89COP 30.8K
$2.86₱179
245.80%
Cappuccino
$3.13COP 9,767
$2.04₱128
53.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91COP 5,954
$0.42₱26.20
354.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51COP 4,712
$0.33₱20.79
357.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.12COP 9,747
$1.05₱65.9
197.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75COP 17.9K
$2.19₱137
162.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Legazpi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,509
$1.54₱96.6
-6.49%
White Bread(500g)
$2.49COP 7,759
$1.18₱73.8
111.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77COP 5,535
$0.83₱51.9
113.25%
Eggs
$2.96COP 9,235
$1.88₱118
57.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.07COP 31.4K
$5.36₱336
87.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.12COP 31.6K
$4.09₱256
147.43%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.30COP 44.6K
$6.97₱437
105.16%
Apples(1kg)
$4.14COP 12.9K
$2.31₱145
79.22%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61COP 5,019
$1.61₱101
-
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,007
$2.37₱149
-5.06%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,028
$1.17₱73.1
92.31%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04COP 6,375
$2.12₱133
-3.77%
Onion(1kg)
$1.54COP 4,790
$1.99₱125
-22.61%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.17COP 3,651
$0.81₱51.0
44.44%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31COP 4,077
$0.53₱33.02
147.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90COP 12.2K
$2.80₱176
39.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.7K
$7.73₱485
81.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74COP 5,439
$1.05₱65.6
65.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87COP 8,956
$1.94₱121
47.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Legazpi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.22COP 3,792
$0.22₱13.82
454.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$80.5COP 251.1K
$10.66₱669
654.97%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,084
$0.83₱51.8
57.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.19COP 6,825
$0.25₱15.73
776.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.71COP 27.2K
$1.96₱123
344.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.37COP 4,260
$1.06₱66.6
29.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8KCOP 86.9M
$21.4K₱1.3M
29.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8KCOP 111.6M
$16.9K₱1.1M
111.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Legazpi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177COP 553.2K
$152₱9,531
16.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88COP 43.3K
$15.02₱942
-7.59%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72COP 92.8K
$31.47₱1,974
-5.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Legazpi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.88COP 140.1K
$31.94₱2,003
40.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12COP 53.4K
$5.40₱339
217.04%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.7K
$5.11₱320
30.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Legazpi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$813COP 2.5M
$134₱8,377
508.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,187COP 28.7M
$7,638₱479.1K
20.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Legazpi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5COP 279.3K
$31.93₱2,003
180.27%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0COP 184.0K
$19.39₱1,216
204.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$138COP 431.2K
$63.4₱3,974
118.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 318.7K
$56.3₱3,528
81.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Legazpi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,062COP 3.3M
$143₱8,984
641.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$663COP 2.1M
$95.4₱5,983
594.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,888COP 5.9M
$343₱21.5K
450.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,027COP 3.2M
$200₱12.6K
412.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,183COP 13.1M
$2,551₱160.0K
64.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,675COP 5.2M
$1,067₱66.9K
57.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Legazpi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$678COP 2.1M
$268₱16.8K
152.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
10.12
8.10%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026
Last update for Legazpi: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $143 in Legazpi. 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 153% 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 $17.00 in Legazpi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $176 – making Legazpi 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 Legazpi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Legazpi compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $671 in Legazpi – roughly 150% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Legazpi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,007 in Legazpi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Legazpi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Legazpi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Legazpi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $671 in Legazpi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How do commuting costs compare in Medellin and in Legazpi?
Public transport costs about 655% less in Legazpi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Legazpi, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Legazpi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Legazpi?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $671 in Legazpi to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Medellin or Legazpi safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Medellin and Legazpi?
If budget matters most, go with Legazpi. 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.