Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marawi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marawi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $782 in Marawi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,212 in Marawi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,643 in Marawi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 32% more expensive than Marawi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Marawi 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.58 ₱221

65.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$18.02 ₱1,112

81.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.27 ₱202

120.18%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.44 ₱151

-30.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.81 ₱50.2

35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.39 ₱24.13

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.35 ₱83.1

23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.10 ₱129

47.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.92 ₱119

-44.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.22 ₱75.5

2.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.93 ₱57.6

49.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.06 ₱127

9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.22 ₱507

-47.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.30 ₱265

35.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.79 ₱480

13.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.89 ₱178

-22.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.59 ₱98.0

-32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.58 ₱159

-40.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.55 ₱95.5

-11.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.25 ₱139

-49.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.53 ₱156

-55.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.11 ₱68.8

-23.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.76 ₱46.93

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.80 ₱172

-16.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.28 ₱449

52.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.19 ₱73.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.00 ₱123

18.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.28 ₱17.32

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.78 ₱48.06

84.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.24 ₱14.85

695.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.11 ₱130

280.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.10 ₱68.2

-14.55%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.9K ₱1.7M

-33.40%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

30.09%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$113 ₱6,948

-25.46%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$32.89 ₱2,029

-70.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$27.09 ₱1,671

-10.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$34.55 ₱2,131

-25.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.46 ₱275

326.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.96 ₱368

-34.23%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$154 ₱9,474

99.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,228 ₱260.8K

39.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$44.90 ₱2,769

28.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$26.81 ₱1,654

18.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$75.6 ₱4,665

32.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$53.0 ₱3,266

102.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$261 ₱16.1K

86.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$177 ₱10.9K

107.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$585 ₱36.1K

41.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$393 ₱24.3K

82.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,531 ₱156.1K

15.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$246 ₱15.2K

471.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$296 ₱18.3K

84.37%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Marawi: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $261 in Marawi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 84% 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 Marawi. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $205, 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 Marawi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Marawi differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $782 including rent). Marawi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 84% more on average, 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: $487 in Medellin versus $261 in Marawi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $154 in Marawi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Marawi – 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 $782 in Marawi versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marawi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Marawi 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.

Expats usually find Marawi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.