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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $622 in Mambajao, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,019 in Mambajao, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,417 in Mambajao, rent included.

Medellin costs about 66% more than Mambajao, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Mambajao are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Mambajao 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.54 ₱95.1

300.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.01 ₱1,663

20.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.38 ₱270

67.58%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.14 ₱193

-45.22%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.33 ₱81.9

-21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.77 ₱47.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.14 ₱70.2

48.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.71 ₱167

16.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.27 ₱78.4

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.92 ₱56.5

41.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.89 ₱55.0

57.30%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.40 ₱86.0

54.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.20 ₱505

-46.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.29 ₱264

37.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.33 ₱390

36.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.90 ₱178

-21.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.35 ₱83.3

-17.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$2.58 ₱159

-40.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.55 ₱95.6

-12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.37 ₱146

-52.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.60 ₱160

-56.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.08 ₱66.3

-21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.75 ₱46.26

21.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.77 ₱171

-15.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.07 ₱497

53.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.12 ₱68.9

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.24 ₱76.2

100.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.22 ₱13.56

281.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.76 ₱46.97

86.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.24 ₱14.79

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.10 ₱129

264.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.41 ₱86.8

-29.79%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.3K ₱1.6M

-31.36%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

30.49%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$85.4 ₱5,257

-5.36%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$32.83 ₱2,021

-69.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$22.08 ₱1,359

9.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$33.81 ₱2,081

-25.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.51 ₱278

324.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.79 ₱357

-31.26%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$154 ₱9,484

98.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,293 ₱264.3K

41.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.12 ₱2,778

28.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$26.21 ₱1,614

22.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$74.7 ₱4,601

34.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$53.0 ₱3,263

103.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$132 ₱8,112

261.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$87.0 ₱5,357

332.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$290 ₱17.8K

191.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$193 ₱11.9K

277.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,672 ₱164.5K

20.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,083 ₱66.6K

26.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$153 ₱9,436

302.43%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mambajao: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 302% 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 $27.00 in Mambajao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $187 – 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 66% 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $933 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $622 in Mambajao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $154 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 $622, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $622 versus $1,031 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.