Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in Manila: $931 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$931

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Manila

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Manila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $931 in Manila, rent included.

Medellin $1,589
Manila $931

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $1,519 in Manila, rent included.

Medellin $2,364
Manila $1,519

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $2,106 in Manila, rent included.

Medellin $3,139
Manila $2,106

Medellin costs about 71% more than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Manila is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.8K

$5.61 ₱353

42.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 149.9K

$27.39 ₱1,722

69.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.4K

$3.95 ₱248

138.73%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,374

$2.56 ₱161

13.67%

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

$1.75 COP 5,643

$1.42 ₱89.3

23.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,263

$0.81 ₱51.1

62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$1.17 ₱73.4

167.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.9K

$2.36 ₱148

135.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,542

$1.94 ₱122

-27.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,858

$1.40 ₱88.2

74.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,245

$1.02 ₱64.3

59.80%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,084

$2.29 ₱144

23.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.2K

$7.86 ₱494

23.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.0K

$4.89 ₱307

90.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.3K

$6.77 ₱426

98.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.9K

$3.38 ₱213

18.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,768

$1.85 ₱117

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,839

$2.96 ₱186

-28.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,253

$1.79 ₱113

25.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,155

$2.24 ₱141

-14.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,214

$2.69 ₱169

-39.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,696

$2.20 ₱138

-47.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,063

$0.59 ₱37.35

113.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.3K

$3.13 ₱197

22.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.2K

$9.42 ₱593

39.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,136

$1.33 ₱83.5

20.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,263

$2.00 ₱126

13.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,770

$0.47 ₱29.54

148.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 241.5K

$12.58 ₱791

496.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,098

$0.78 ₱48.91

62.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,600

$0.23 ₱14.47

791.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.4K

$1.94 ₱122

322.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,088

$1.33 ₱83.7

-4.51%

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

$26.8K COP 86.2M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

25.48%

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

$34.4K COP 110.8M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

74.77%

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

$162 COP 522.3K

$121 ₱7,635

33.62%

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

$13.12 COP 42.3K

$16.04 ₱1,009

-18.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.5K

$24.25 ₱1,525

15.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 142.7K

$43.44 ₱2,732

2.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.6K

$5.90 ₱371

176.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.6K

$6.63 ₱417

-8.14%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$613 ₱38.5K

24.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.7M

$8,953 ₱563.1K

-0.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 273.6K

$58.2 ₱3,657

46.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 185.1K

$27.18 ₱1,709

111.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 424.2K

$77.5 ₱4,875

69.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 308.3K

$57.0 ₱3,583

68.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$534 ₱33.6K

92.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$287 ₱18.0K

110.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$1,916 ₱120.5K

-5.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$677 ₱42.6K

46.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.6M

$4,439 ₱279.1K

-11.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

$2,556 ₱160.8K

-35.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$485 ₱30.5K

28.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.43

47.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Manila: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$604 38.3%

Manila

$287 30.2% 52.5% $317

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$288 18.3%

Manila

$221 23.3% 23.3% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$203 12.9%

Manila

$162 17% 20.5% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Manila

$99 10.4% 40.6% $68

Eating Out

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Manila

$107 11.3% 35.7% $59

Getting Around

Medellin

$91 5.8%

Manila

$16 1.7% 82% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.6%

Manila

$57 6% 0.4% $0.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $534 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 29% 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $221 – making Manila the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇵🇭 Manila

🕒 Local time

01:33 1:33 AM

14:33 2:33 PM

13 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

1,780,148 Capital

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.11 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,220 COP (10,000 COP = 3.11 USD). 1 EUR = 3,611 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Manila 17,060 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Manila

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $1,589 in Medellin, $931 in Manila – roughly 71% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $1,396 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 $1,589 in Medellin and $931 in Manila. That's a gap of about 71%.

Public transport costs about 496% 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 $931, than in Medellin at $1,589. 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 $931 in Manila to $1,589 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.