Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nueva Ecija Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nueva Ecija

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $656 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,080 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,504 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

Medellin costs about 57% more than Nueva Ecija, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Nueva Ecija are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Nueva Ecija 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.32 ₱267

42.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$34.99 ₱2,158

-6.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.27 ₱202

124.46%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.39 ₱86.0

23.74%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.75 ₱46.48

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.34 ₱20.82

126.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.86 ₱52.9

96.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.28 ₱141

39.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.96 ₱182

-64.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.04 ₱64.1

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.00 ₱61.5

40.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.70 ₱105

27.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.13 ₱501

-46.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.75 ₱231

56.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.22 ₱384

38.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.18 ₱258

-45.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.78 ₱47.91

42.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.88 ₱116

-18.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.86 ₱115

-27.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.65 ₱102

-31.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.20 ₱136

-48.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.39 ₱148

-64.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.51 ₱31.47

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.44 ₱150

-4.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.38 ₱270

182.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.38 ₱85.2

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.44 ₱150

2.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.30 ₱18.31

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$6.18 ₱381

556.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.84 ₱51.7

69.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.22 ₱13.54

772.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.18 ₱72.7

549.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.95 ₱58.9

4.21%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.0K ₱1.1M

0.22%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$23.4K ₱1.4M

13.74%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$87.8 ₱5,415

-7.97%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$32.30 ₱1,992

-69.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$20.32 ₱1,253

19.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$34.02 ₱2,098

-26.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.44 ₱274

331.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.08 ₱313

-21.65%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$151 ₱9,307

102.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,361 ₱269.0K

38.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$46.26 ₱2,853

25.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.16 ₱2,107

-5.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$67.7 ₱4,175

48.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$116 ₱7,157

-7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$126 ₱7,768

278.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$74.5 ₱4,592

405.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$197 ₱12.1K

329.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$141 ₱8,686

418.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,433 ₱150.0K

32.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,072 ₱66.1K

28.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$197 ₱12.2K

212.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.17

117.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nueva Ecija: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $126 in Nueva Ecija. 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 213% 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 $35.00 in Nueva Ecija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $201 – making Medellin 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 Nueva Ecija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 57%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $984 in Nueva Ecija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nueva Ecija, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $35.00 in Nueva Ecija. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $656 in Nueva Ecija. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nueva Ecija, where all-in costs run around $656, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Nueva Ecija it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nueva Ecija – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Nueva Ecija. 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.