Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Magallanes, Cavite Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Magallanes, Cavite

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $770 in Magallanes, Cavite, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,187 in Magallanes, Cavite, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,604 in Magallanes, Cavite, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Magallanes, Cavite, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.64 ₱219

64.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$17.71 ₱1,067

85.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$3.30 ₱199

124.85%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.40 ₱144

-31.25%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.76 ₱45.78

40.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.37 ₱22.10

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.36 ₱82.0

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.16 ₱130

48.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.85 ₱112

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.22 ₱73.6

7.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.99 ₱59.3

35.35%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.00 ₱120

9.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$7.96 ₱479

-44.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$4.31 ₱260

32.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$7.76 ₱467

9.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.00 ₱181

-22.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.54 ₱92.9

-27.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.57 ₱155

-40.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.60 ₱96.3

-14.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.30 ₱139

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.60 ₱156

-54.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.06 ₱63.9

-20.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.70 ₱42.41

22.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.77 ₱167

-18.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$8.34 ₱502

39.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.16 ₱69.7

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.99 ₱120

24.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.28 ₱16.99

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.76 ₱45.94

93.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.24 ₱14.51

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$2.07 ₱125

275.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.14 ₱68.8

-11.40%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$27.1K ₱1.6M

-34.78%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$20.7K ₱1.2M

27.83%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$111 ₱6,658

-26.64%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$32.66 ₱1,967

-71.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$27.00 ₱1,626

-11.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$34.28 ₱2,065

-24.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$4.39 ₱264

326.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$5.91 ₱356

-30.80%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$149 ₱8,999

110.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$4,341 ₱261.4K

38.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$46.56 ₱2,804

28.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$26.96 ₱1,624

18.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$74.0 ₱4,454

36.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$52.6 ₱3,169

99.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$266 ₱16.0K

82.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$178 ₱10.7K

105.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$576 ₱34.7K

43.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$398 ₱24.0K

83.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,664 ₱160.4K

12.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,100 ₱66.3K

19.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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 15, 2026

Last update for Magallanes, Cavite: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $266 in Magallanes, Cavite. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Magallanes, Cavite. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $205 in Magallanes, Cavite – 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 Magallanes, Cavite: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 33% more than Magallanes, Cavite, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,155 in Magallanes, Cavite. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Magallanes, Cavite, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $18.00 in Magallanes, Cavite. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Magallanes, Cavite, where all-in costs run around $770, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Magallanes, Cavite it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Magallanes, Cavite costs $770 versus $1,028 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 Magallanes, Cavite. 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.