Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Olongapo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Olongapo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $682 in Olongapo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,032 in Olongapo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,382 in Olongapo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 51% more than Olongapo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Olongapo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Olongapo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.65 ₱225

68.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$13.32 ₱821

144.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$2.60 ₱161

182.31%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.42 ₱149

-28.93%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.64 ₱39.73

64.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.41 ₱25.24

87.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.40 ₱86.4

20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.56 ₱96.2

103.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.91 ₱118

-45.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.46 ₱28.42

182.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.87 ₱53.9

60.92%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.15 ₱133

0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.13 ₱563

-51.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.88 ₱178

104.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.47 ₱522

2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.72 ₱168

-16.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.03 ₱63.7

7.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.31 ₱142

-33.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.21 ₱74.4

11.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.83 ₱113

-38.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.28 ₱141

-50.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.67 ₱41.45

26.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.46 ₱28.45

97.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.19 ₱196

-26.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.13 ₱563

35.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.02 ₱62.9

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.28 ₱141

9.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.22 ₱13.58

281.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$17.89 ₱1,103

126.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.86 ₱53.2

65.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.24 ₱14.83

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.36 ₱145

224.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.15 ₱70.7

-13.91%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.0K ₱2.0M

-43.74%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

30.45%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$144 ₱8,894

-43.97%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$34.47 ₱2,126

-71.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$25.75 ₱1,588

-6.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$15.19 ₱937

65.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.41 ₱272

334.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.45 ₱274

-10.56%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$87.9 ₱5,420

247.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,709 ₱290.4K

28.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$47.78 ₱2,947

21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$27.72 ₱1,710

16.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$76.8 ₱4,736

31.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$46.94 ₱2,895

129.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$126 ₱7,777

277.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$88.4 ₱5,452

325.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$263 ₱16.2K

220.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$175 ₱10.8K

317.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,266 ₱139.7K

41.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$970 ₱59.8K

41.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$136 ₱8,406

352.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.5

198.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Olongapo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $126 in Olongapo. 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 352% 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 $13.00 in Olongapo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $184 – making Olongapo 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 Olongapo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,024 in Olongapo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Olongapo, 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 $13.00 in Olongapo. 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 $682 in Olongapo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Olongapo, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Olongapo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Olongapo. 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.