Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mambajao Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mambajao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $632 in Mambajao, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,001 in Mambajao, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,370 in Mambajao, rent included.

Medellin costs about 60% more than Mambajao, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Mambajao are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Mambajao 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.55 ₱95.6

286.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$26.49 ₱1,634

24.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.41 ₱272

60.77%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.04 ₱187

-43.75%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.41 ₱86.9

-21.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.77 ₱47.77

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.12 ₱69.2

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.72 ₱168

12.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.33 ₱82.0

-18.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.91 ₱55.9

38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.88 ₱54.1

56.82%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.41 ₱87.0

55.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.94 ₱490

-44.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.21 ₱260

33.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.56 ₱405

35.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.98 ₱184

-21.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.35 ₱83.0

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.71 ₱167

-44.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.59 ₱98.3

-13.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.39 ₱147

-51.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.60 ₱161

-55.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.12 ₱68.9

-20.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.72 ₱44.64

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.91 ₱180

-21.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.16 ₱503

30.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.07 ₱66.2

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.30 ₱80.3

90.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.20 ₱12.31

330.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.82 ₱50.4

79.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.22 ₱13.52

790.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.17 ₱134

256.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.41 ₱86.8

-32.62%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$27.1K ₱1.7M

-33.08%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

31.24%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$84.0 ₱5,181

-2.12%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$32.13 ₱1,981

-70.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$22.09 ₱1,362

9.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$33.64 ₱2,074

-23.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.49 ₱277

323.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.87 ₱362

-33.05%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$150 ₱9,227

106.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,285 ₱264.2K

39.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$45.28 ₱2,792

29.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$26.22 ₱1,617

23.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$75.4 ₱4,648

36.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$53.3 ₱3,284

103.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$132 ₱8,138

260.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$87.0 ₱5,363

335.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$293 ₱18.1K

185.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$191 ₱11.8K

278.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,460 ₱151.7K

13.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$885 ₱54.6K

36.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$154 ₱9,498

232.24%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mambajao: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $132 in Mambajao. 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 232% 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 $26.00 in Mambajao. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $188 in Mambajao – 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 Mambajao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 60% more than Mambajao, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $948 in Mambajao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mambajao, 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $632 in Mambajao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $150 in Mambajao. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mambajao, where all-in costs run around $632, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Mambajao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mambajao costs $632 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Mambajao. 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.