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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $959 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,528 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,097 in Manila, rent included.

Medellin costs about 6% more than Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.38 ₱332

11.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$26.83 ₱1,656

22.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.34 ₱268

63.36%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.75 ₱169

-37.82%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.96 ₱59.0

14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.50 ₱30.58

56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.49 ₱92.1

12.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.61 ₱161

17.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.89 ₱117

-42.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.38 ₱85.4

-8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.05 ₱64.7

31.43%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.18 ₱135

0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.61 ₱593

-54.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.19 ₱320

8.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.32 ₱513

6.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.50 ₱216

-33.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.80 ₱111

-41.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.58 ₱221

-58.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.49 ₱154

-44.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.76 ₱170

-58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$3.03 ₱187

-61.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.01 ₱124

-55.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.64 ₱39.60

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.32 ₱205

-31.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.74 ₱601

9.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.49 ₱92.1

-19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.15 ₱133

14.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.52 ₱31.93

65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$12.00 ₱741

245.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.86 ₱53.2

70.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.25 ₱15.38

684.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.16 ₱133

258.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.16 ₱71.9

-18.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-30.80%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$22.7K ₱1.4M

16.56%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$138 ₱8,535

-40.54%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$22.24 ₱1,372

-57.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$27.71 ₱1,710

-12.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$41.41 ₱2,555

-37.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$6.89 ₱425

175.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.58 ₱406

-40.27%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$357 ₱22.0K

-13.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$11.5K ₱707.8K

-48.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$46.42 ₱2,864

26.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$35.12 ₱2,167

-7.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$82.4 ₱5,084

24.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$45.78 ₱2,825

136.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$500 ₱30.8K

-4.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$265 ₱16.3K

43.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,684 ₱103.9K

-50.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$636 ₱39.2K

13.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$4,370 ₱269.6K

-36.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,544 ₱157.0K

-52.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$481 ₱29.7K

6.41%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Manila: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $500 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 6% 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 – $188 in Medellin vs $242 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $959 in Manila – roughly 6% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,438 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $959 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 245% 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 $959, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $959 in Manila to $1,013 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.