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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $505 in Mambajao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $801 in Mambajao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,097 in Mambajao, rent included.

Medellin costs about 233% more than Mambajao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Mambajao is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$1.33 ₱83.3

503.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$16.14 ₱1,014

196.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$3.27 ₱205

202.45%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.26 ₱142

38.50%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.42 ₱26.34

354.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.27 ₱16.82

459.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.01 ₱63.4

208.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.12 ₱70.5

413.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.84 ₱52.6

71.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.58 ₱36.75

329.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.71 ₱44.69

149.30%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.25 ₱78.8

136.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$5.66 ₱356

77.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$4.19 ₱263

141.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$5.54 ₱348

158.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.34 ₱147

76.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.64 ₱103

-1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.39 ₱150

-5.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.03 ₱64.5

118.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.24 ₱77.8

64.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.94 ₱122

-20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.75 ₱46.96

56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.56 ₱35.36

133.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.66 ₱167

46.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$8.11 ₱510

72.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$0.99 ₱62.1

75.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.18 ₱74.3

143.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.21 ₱13.08

480.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$10.85 ₱682

641.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.71 ₱44.74

84.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.25 ₱15.91

776.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$1.74 ₱109

400.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.21 ₱76.2

13.22%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$24.1K ₱1.5M

15.39%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$20.0K ₱1.3M

78.49%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$63.2 ₱3,972

180.45%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$15.57 ₱979

-10.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$20.17 ₱1,267

47.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$27.25 ₱1,712

64.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$4.54 ₱285

277.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.57 ₱287

45.51%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$144 ₱9,078

462.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$7,573 ₱475.8K

21.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$32.35 ₱2,033

176.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$21.79 ₱1,369

170.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$67.3 ₱4,225

105.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$49.23 ₱3,093

107.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$99.1 ₱6,228

971.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$56.0 ₱3,520

1083.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$238 ₱14.9K

694.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$156 ₱9,806

558.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,958 ₱185.8K

41.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$927 ₱58.2K

80.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$151 ₱9,461

350.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mambajao: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $99.1 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 350% 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 $16.00 in Mambajao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $154 – making Mambajao 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 Mambajao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 233% more than Mambajao, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $758 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $505 in Mambajao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 642% less in Mambajao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mambajao, where all-in costs run around $505, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $505 versus $1,681 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.