Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $957 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,538 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,118 in Manila, rent included.

Medellin costs about 8% more than Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.28 ₱325

16.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.12 ₱1,669

20.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.55 ₱280

61.32%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.73 ₱168

-37.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.96 ₱59.2

9.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.50 ₱30.96

54.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.54 ₱94.7

9.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.65 ₱163

19.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.90 ₱117

-44.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.33 ₱81.9

-2.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.07 ₱66.1

30.84%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.08 ₱128

3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.28 ₱572

-52.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.21 ₱321

12.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.55 ₱526

1.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.54 ₱218

-35.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.80 ₱111

-38.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.58 ₱221

-57.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.50 ₱154

-46.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.78 ₱171

-59.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.16 ₱194

-64.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.98 ₱122

-57.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.68 ₱42.17

33.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.31 ₱204

-29.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.50 ₱585

30.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.46 ₱90.0

-17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.11 ₱130

18.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.48 ₱29.41

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$12.15 ₱748

233.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.88 ₱54.0

61.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.27 ₱16.65

611.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.08 ₱128

268.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.17 ₱72.3

-15.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

-30.84%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.8K ₱1.4M

16.64%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$135 ₱8,337

-40.33%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$21.56 ₱1,327

-53.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$27.58 ₱1,698

-12.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$41.41 ₱2,549

-39.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.82 ₱420

180.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.92 ₱426

-42.49%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$363 ₱22.3K

-15.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$11.6K ₱713.4K

-47.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$47.10 ₱2,900

23.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.39 ₱2,117

-6.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$81.9 ₱5,040

23.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$47.42 ₱2,919

127.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$486 ₱29.9K

-1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$272 ₱16.7K

38.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,729 ₱106.5K

-51.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$641 ₱39.5K

13.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,332 ₱266.7K

-25.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,602 ₱160.2K

-47.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$467 ₱28.7K

32.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.52

78.59%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $486 in Manila. 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 32% 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 Manila. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $241 in Manila – 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 Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $957 in Manila – roughly 8% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,436 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manila, 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 $957 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 234% less in Manila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Manila, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Manila it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $957 in Manila to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Manila. 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.