Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ligao City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ligao City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $792 in Ligao City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,200 in Ligao City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,609 in Ligao City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 28% more than Ligao City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Ligao City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ligao City 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.47 ₱211

71.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$17.92 ₱1,088

85.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.21 ₱195

125.23%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.46 ₱150

-33.74%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.76 ₱46.16

43.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.40 ₱24.19

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.30 ₱79.0

33.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.17 ₱132

48.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.92 ₱117

-45.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.20 ₱73.1

7.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.99 ₱59.8

33.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.05 ₱125

10.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.21 ₱499

-47.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.23 ₱257

39.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.94 ₱482

8.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.97 ₱180

-24.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.60 ₱96.9

-33.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.66 ₱162

-42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.60 ₱96.9

-11.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.30 ₱140

-49.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.53 ₱154

-53.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.06 ₱64.4

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.76 ₱46.24

18.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.91 ₱177

-22.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.88 ₱478

40.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.16 ₱70.3

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.98 ₱120

20.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.26 ₱15.59

223.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.83 ₱50.6

69.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.22 ₱13.33

763.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.12 ₱129

265.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.09 ₱66.1

-7.34%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.7K ₱1.6M

-34.05%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

27.61%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$113 ₱6,853

-25.86%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$33.33 ₱2,024

-71.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$27.39 ₱1,663

-11.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$34.12 ₱2,072

-25.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.53 ₱275

322.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.84 ₱355

-29.79%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$151 ₱9,146

107.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,315 ₱262.0K

38.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$45.16 ₱2,742

28.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$26.32 ₱1,598

23.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$76.2 ₱4,625

30.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$52.9 ₱3,214

105.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$269 ₱16.4K

79.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$180 ₱10.9K

110.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$577 ₱35.0K

45.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$394 ₱23.9K

83.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,435 ₱147.9K

16.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,032 ₱62.6K

18.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$281 ₱17.1K

92.56%

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 Ligao City: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $269 in Ligao 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 93% 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 $18.00 in Ligao City. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $207 in Ligao 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 Ligao City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,188 in Ligao City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ligao 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 $792 in Ligao 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 $151 in Ligao City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ligao City, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Ligao City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ligao City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ligao 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.