Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mandaluyong Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mandaluyong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $836 in Mandaluyong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,310 in Mandaluyong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,785 in Mandaluyong.

Living in Medellin is roughly 23% more expensive than in Mandaluyong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Mandaluyong 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.33 ₱329

15.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.08 ₱1,115

80.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.39 ₱209

116.52%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.38 ₱147

-27.73%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.97 ₱59.6

8.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.50 ₱30.60

54.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.50 ₱92.4

12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.69 ₱166

17.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.84 ₱113

-42.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.41 ₱86.7

-7.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.07 ₱66.2

30.84%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.21 ₱136

-2.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.34 ₱576

-53.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.28 ₱326

11.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.42 ₱520

2.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.40 ₱210

-32.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.86 ₱115

-40.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.46 ₱214

-55.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.42 ₱149

-44.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.70 ₱166

-58.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.16 ₱195

-64.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.71 ₱44.07

19.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.65 ₱40.38

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.24 ₱200

-27.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.67 ₱535

42.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.44 ₱88.7

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.11 ₱130

18.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.33 ₱20.54

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.85 ₱52.5

67.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.27 ₱16.82

611.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.17 ₱134

253.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.15 ₱71.1

-13.91%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

-31.86%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

29.14%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$138 ₱8,498

-41.36%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$34.22 ₱2,111

-70.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$26.61 ₱1,641

-9.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$33.84 ₱2,087

-25.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.33 ₱267

342.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.61 ₱408

-39.79%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$150 ₱9,264

103.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,775 ₱294.5K

26.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$46.68 ₱2,879

24.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.39 ₱2,121

-6.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$74.6 ₱4,603

34.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$45.83 ₱2,826

135.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$541 ₱33.4K

-11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$174 ₱10.7K

116.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$593 ₱36.6K

42.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$387 ₱23.8K

88.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,894 ₱178.5K

11.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$603 ₱37.2K

2.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.5

198.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mandaluyong: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $541 in Mandaluyong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $18.00 in Mandaluyong. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $233, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mandaluyong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Mandaluyong differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $836 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $541 in Mandaluyong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $150 in Mandaluyong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaluyong – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $836 in Mandaluyong versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaluyong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Mandaluyong are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mandaluyong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.