Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marikina Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marikina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $717 in Marikina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,122 in Marikina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,527 in Marikina, rent included.

Medellin costs about 135% more than Marikina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Marikina is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.93 ₱246

104.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$31.72 ₱1,989

50.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.14 ₱197

214.97%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.19 ₱137

42.92%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.60 ₱37.77

218.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.33 ₱20.84

357.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$0.94 ₱59.0

231.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.43 ₱153

136.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.90 ₱119

-24.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.29 ₱81.1

93.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.05 ₱65.9

68.57%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.09 ₱131

41.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.15 ₱448

40.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.34 ₱272

133.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.49 ₱470

90.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.35 ₱148

76.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.99 ₱125

-19.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.32 ₱146

-3.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.19 ₱138

2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.19 ₱200

-36.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.43 ₱215

-55.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.10 ₱69.1

6.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.71 ₱44.60

84.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.96 ₱185

31.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.92 ₱560

57.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.96 ₱60.5

81.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.04 ₱128

40.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.50 ₱31.09

144.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.71 ₱44.29

84.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.23 ₱14.44

852.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.95 ₱122

346.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.19 ₱74.7

15.13%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

32.56%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

83.72%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$139 ₱8,706

27.73%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$16.12 ₱1,011

-13.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$27.23 ₱1,708

9.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$37.73 ₱2,366

18.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.11 ₱446

-6.47%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$130 ₱8,151

525.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,413 ₱464.9K

23.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$60.2 ₱3,777

48.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$27.54 ₱1,727

114.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$75.6 ₱4,739

82.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$55.8 ₱3,500

83.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$181 ₱11.4K

485.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$80.5 ₱5,048

723.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$314 ₱19.7K

500.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$169 ₱10.6K

506.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,117 ₱70.1K

274.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$485 ₱30.4K

245.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$394 ₱24.7K

71.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Marikina: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $181 in Marikina. 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 72% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Marikina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $210 – making Marikina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Marikina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $717 in Marikina – roughly 135% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,075 in Marikina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marikina, 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $717 in Marikina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $130 in Marikina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Marikina, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Marikina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $717 in Marikina to $1,681 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 Marikina. 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.