😐A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $787 in Pangasinan, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,188 in Pangasinan, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,589 in Pangasinan, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 114% more than Pangasinan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Pangasinan is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Pangasinan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.89COP 24.2K
$1.20₱74.3
557.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.53COP 136.5K
$13.95₱860
219.21%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.29COP 28.5K
$3.98₱245
133.42%
Cappuccino
$2.90COP 8,874
$2.60₱160
11.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81COP 5,541
$1.10₱67.7
64.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55COP 4,741
$0.48₱29.51
222.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.25COP 9,962
$0.78₱47.84
316.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88COP 18.0K
$3.29₱203
78.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Pangasinan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38COP 4,230
$1.17₱72.3
17.95%
White Bread(500g)
$2.45COP 7,517
$0.79₱48.59
210.13%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,617
$0.75₱46.36
101.33%
Eggs
$2.78COP 8,516
$2.32₱143
19.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.05COP 27.7K
$7.13₱440
26.93%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.65COP 32.6K
$5.12₱315
108.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.63COP 44.8K
$7.16₱441
104.33%
Apples(1kg)
$3.97COP 12.2K
$2.33₱144
70.39%
Banana(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,219
$2.04₱126
-32.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,056
$2.50₱154
-8.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.02COP 6,185
$2.05₱126
-1.46%
Potato(1kg)
$2.09COP 6,390
$3.06₱189
-31.70%
Onion(1kg)
$1.63COP 4,996
$3.48₱214
-53.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08COP 3,313
$1.06₱65.5
1.89%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25COP 3,843
$0.56₱34.41
123.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.03COP 12.4K
$2.68₱165
50.37%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.47COP 41.3K
$7.88₱486
70.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60COP 4,904
$1.41₱86.8
13.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00COP 9,189
$2.08₱128
44.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Pangasinan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.18COP 3,611
$0.24₱14.80
391.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$79.9COP 244.9K
$11.43₱705
599.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.61COP 4,920
$0.68₱41.67
136.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.13COP 6,533
$0.22₱13.52
868.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.52COP 26.1K
$2.00₱123
326.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35COP 4,142
$1.04₱63.9
29.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3KCOP 86.8M
$22.0K₱1.4M
28.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7KCOP 109.4M
$20.4K₱1.3M
75.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Pangasinan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$151COP 463.8K
$153₱9,405
-0.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.10COP 40.1K
$16.49₱1,017
-20.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.30COP 99.0K
$30.01₱1,850
7.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Pangasinan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.33COP 141.9K
$37.02₱2,282
25.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.26COP 52.9K
$3.84₱237
349.48%
Cinema Ticket
$6.43COP 19.7K
$7.21₱445
-10.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Pangasinan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$835COP 2.6M
$133₱8,176
529.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,887COP 27.2M
$7,560₱466.1K
17.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Pangasinan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.3COP 273.7K
$29.20₱1,800
205.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.3COP 169.5K
$20.02₱1,234
176.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$137COP 418.5K
$81.7₱5,034
67.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109COP 335.1K
$57.6₱3,549
90.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Pangasinan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$952COP 2.9M
$246₱15.2K
287.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$668COP 2.0M
$170₱10.5K
292.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,020COP 6.2M
$513₱31.6K
293.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,148COP 3.5M
$408₱25.2K
181.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,696COP 11.3M
$2,168₱133.7K
70.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,586COP 4.9M
$1,049₱64.7K
51.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Pangasinan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$625COP 1.9M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.43
7.5
39.07%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026
Last update for Pangasinan: August 18, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $246 in Pangasinan. 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Pangasinan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $199 – making Pangasinan 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 Pangasinan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pangasinan cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 114%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,180 in Pangasinan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pangasinan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Pangasinan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $14.00 in Pangasinan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Pangasinan?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $787 in Pangasinan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Pangasinan?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pangasinan, where all-in costs run around $787, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Pangasinan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Pangasinan more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Pangasinan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Pangasinan. 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.