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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $769 in Marawi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,198 in Marawi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,626 in Marawi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 30% more expensive than in Marawi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Marawi 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.65 ₱223

61.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$17.59 ₱1,077

87.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.33 ₱204

123.12%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.39 ₱146

-30.96%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.83 ₱51.0

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.36 ₱22.15

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.35 ₱82.7

27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.10 ₱128

51.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.83 ₱112

-39.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.28 ₱78.1

-1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.94 ₱57.4

46.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.01 ₱123

8.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.97 ₱488

-43.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.36 ₱267

32.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.63 ₱467

17.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.00 ₱184

-22.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.57 ₱96.3

-32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.58 ₱158

-41.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.54 ₱94.1

-11.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.20 ₱134

-48.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.59 ₱158

-54.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.08 ₱65.8

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.75 ₱46.08

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.88 ₱177

-22.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.89 ₱483

53.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.20 ₱73.4

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.06 ₱126

20.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.28 ₱17.25

203.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.84 ₱51.1

69.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.22 ₱13.43

786.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.10 ₱129

275.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.14 ₱69.9

-13.16%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.3K ₱1.6M

-33.07%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.1K ₱1.2M

33.63%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$111 ₱6,813

-25.42%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$33.10 ₱2,026

-70.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$27.05 ₱1,656

-13.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$33.43 ₱2,046

-24.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.54 ₱278

320.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.09 ₱373

-35.14%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$150 ₱9,194

110.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,333 ₱265.3K

37.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$46.11 ₱2,823

30.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$26.87 ₱1,645

18.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$74.1 ₱4,538

37.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$53.1 ₱3,253

102.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$270 ₱16.5K

75.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$178 ₱10.9K

110.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$596 ₱36.5K

42.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$397 ₱24.3K

81.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,233 ₱136.7K

46.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$960 ₱58.7K

50.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$289 ₱17.7K

116.07%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Marawi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $270 in Marawi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 116% 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 $193 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 30% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $769 including rent). Marawi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 116% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $270 in Marawi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $150 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 $769 in Marawi versus $1,003 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 30% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.