Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Palawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Palawan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $790 in Palawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,218 in Palawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,645 in Palawan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Palawan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Palawan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Palawan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.62 ₱221

63.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$19.71 ₱1,206

67.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.39 ₱207

119.17%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.53 ₱155

-34.78%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.78 ₱47.76

41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.37 ₱22.44

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.24 ₱76.2

38.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.15 ₱131

47.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.86 ₱114

-40.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.27 ₱77.6

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.94 ₱57.5

46.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.09 ₱128

4.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.95 ₱486

-43.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.27 ₱261

35.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.59 ₱464

18.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.96 ₱181

-21.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.56 ₱95.8

-32.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.63 ₱161

-42.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.61 ₱98.3

-15.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.30 ₱141

-50.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.53 ₱155

-53.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.11 ₱67.7

-18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.77 ₱47.02

16.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.86 ₱175

-22.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.78 ₱415

78.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.20 ₱73.7

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.02 ₱124

22.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.26 ₱15.72

226.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.81 ₱49.68

75.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.24 ₱14.72

712.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.15 ₱131

266.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.13 ₱69.2

-12.39%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

-33.47%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

29.56%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$114 ₱7,008

-27.50%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$32.72 ₱2,003

-70.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$27.08 ₱1,658

-13.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$34.46 ₱2,110

-26.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.35 ₱266

339.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.95 ₱364

-33.61%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$149 ₱9,149

111.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,352 ₱266.4K

37.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$45.09 ₱2,760

33.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$26.88 ₱1,645

18.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$74.5 ₱4,563

36.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$54.2 ₱3,317

98.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$262 ₱16.1K

80.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$177 ₱10.8K

111.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$598 ₱36.6K

42.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$398 ₱24.3K

80.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,386 ₱146.1K

36.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$947 ₱57.9K

52.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Palawan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $262 in Palawan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Palawan. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $203 in Palawan – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Palawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,185 in Palawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palawan, 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 $20.00 in Palawan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Palawan, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Palawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Palawan – 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 Palawan. 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.