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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $663 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,064 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,465 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than Nueva Ecija, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Nueva Ecija are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Nueva Ecija 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.40 ₱271

36.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$35.35 ₱2,180

-7.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.41 ₱210

107.92%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.33 ₱82.1

28.57%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.76 ₱46.99

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.34 ₱20.68

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$0.85 ₱52.3

97.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.32 ₱143

32.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.98 ₱184

-63.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.05 ₱64.7

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.92 ₱56.9

50.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.72 ₱106

27.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.83 ₱483

-43.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.82 ₱236

47.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.37 ₱393

39.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$4.16 ₱256

-43.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.83 ₱51.0

27.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.92 ₱119

-21.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.77 ₱109

-22.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.67 ₱103

-31.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.18 ₱135

-46.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$2.37 ₱146

-62.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.51 ₱31.71

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.53 ₱156

-9.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$4.38 ₱270

142.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.34 ₱82.4

-10.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.44 ₱150

1.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.32 ₱19.87

168.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$6.10 ₱376

578.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.77 ₱47.32

90.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.22 ₱13.47

790.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.12 ₱69.1

591.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.95 ₱58.7

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$17.5K ₱1.1M

3.58%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$23.5K ₱1.4M

12.73%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$88.9 ₱5,480

-7.45%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$32.35 ₱1,995

-70.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$20.29 ₱1,251

19.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$33.41 ₱2,060

-22.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.31 ₱266

340.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.10 ₱314

-22.94%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$153 ₱9,451

101.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,346 ₱268.0K

37.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$45.11 ₱2,781

30.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$33.85 ₱2,088

-4.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$67.5 ₱4,163

51.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$114 ₱7,053

-5.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$128 ₱7,890

272.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$76.1 ₱4,692

397.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$195 ₱12.0K

330.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$140 ₱8,637

416.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,421 ₱149.3K

15.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$962 ₱59.3K

25.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$195 ₱12.0K

162.29%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nueva Ecija: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $128 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 162% 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: $188 vs $200 – 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 53%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $994 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $663 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 $663, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.