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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $772 in Ligao City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,197 in Ligao City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,622 in Ligao City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 34% more than Ligao City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Ligao City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ligao City 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.65 ₱225

62.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$17.44 ₱1,075

87.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.39 ₱209

112.39%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.48 ₱153

-31.45%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.83 ₱51.2

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.39 ₱24.24

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.35 ₱83.3

23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.16 ₱133

43.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.82 ₱113

-41.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.23 ₱75.6

1.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.94 ₱57.7

47.87%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.09 ₱129

8.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.09 ₱499

-46.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.15 ₱256

40.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.55 ₱466

16.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.94 ₱181

-23.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.59 ₱97.9

-32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.72 ₱168

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.56 ₱96.1

-12.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.24 ₱138

-49.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.55 ₱157

-56.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.11 ₱68.8

-23.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.76 ₱47.13

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.81 ₱173

-17.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.05 ₱497

38.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.15 ₱71.1

3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.97 ₱122

20.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.28 ₱17.42

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

$0.22 ₱13.49

768.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.15 ₱133

273.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.11 ₱68.4

-15.32%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.8K ₱1.7M

-33.18%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

29.27%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$112 ₱6,914

-25.10%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$32.68 ₱2,016

-70.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$26.96 ₱1,663

-10.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$33.45 ₱2,063

-22.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.46 ₱275

326.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.83 ₱360

-32.76%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$153 ₱9,422

100.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,357 ₱268.7K

35.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$45.15 ₱2,785

28.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$26.57 ₱1,639

19.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$74.1 ₱4,573

34.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$54.0 ₱3,328

98.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$270 ₱16.6K

80.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$179 ₱11.0K

106.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$591 ₱36.5K

39.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$399 ₱24.6K

79.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,374 ₱146.4K

23.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$333 ₱20.5K

322.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$287 ₱17.7K

89.93%

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 Ligao City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $270 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 90% 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 $17.00 in Ligao City. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $204 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 34%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,158 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $772 in Ligao 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 $153 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 $772, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.