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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $714 in Olongapo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,066 in Olongapo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,418 in Olongapo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 130% more than Olongapo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Olongapo is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.10 ₱257

96.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$16.97 ₱1,064

184.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$2.88 ₱181

227.08%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.79 ₱112

64.25%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.61 ₱38.04

204.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.34 ₱21.61

329.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.03 ₱64.3

211.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.45 ₱91.1

293.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.64 ₱103

-12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.38 ₱23.88

531.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.82 ₱51.2

107.32%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.94 ₱122

48.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$5.19 ₱325

93.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$2.63 ₱165

279.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.84 ₱492

81.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.22 ₱139

79.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.99 ₱61.8

59.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.42 ₱152

-11.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.03 ₱64.7

123.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.70 ₱106

17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.80 ₱113

-16.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.66 ₱41.23

81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.39 ₱24.33

228.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.98 ₱187

28.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$8.73 ₱547

60.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$0.95 ₱59.9

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.00 ₱125

37.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.27 ₱17.03

362.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$11.04 ₱692

605.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.79 ₱49.46

65.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.23 ₱14.34

843.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$1.96 ₱123

322.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.13 ₱71.0

20.35%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

30.60%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

87.49%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$130 ₱8,158

29.65%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$17.95 ₱1,125

-24.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$23.68 ₱1,485

19.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$31.71 ₱1,988

44.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$4.92 ₱308

250.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.37 ₱274

52.17%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$80.3 ₱5,033

900.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$10.7K ₱668.4K

-13.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$28.68 ₱1,798

204.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$19.44 ₱1,219

205.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$71.9 ₱4,505

93.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$56.7 ₱3,555

79.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$264 ₱16.5K

305.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$169 ₱10.6K

285.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$261 ₱16.3K

638.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$350 ₱22.0K

198.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,556 ₱160.2K

61.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,054 ₱66.0K

61.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$138 ₱8,654

374.48%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Olongapo: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $264 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 374% 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 $17.00 in Olongapo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $158 – 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 130%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,071 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $17.00 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $714 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 $714, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.