Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Panglao Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Panglao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,618 per month in Medellin vs $811 in Panglao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,460 per month in Medellin vs $1,160 in Panglao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,302 per month in Medellin vs $1,509 in Panglao, rent included.

Medellin costs about 99% more than Panglao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Panglao is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.2K

$3.98 ₱242

93.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.28 COP 136.4K

$24.53 ₱1,491

76.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.0K

$4.08 ₱248

132.84%

Cappuccino

$2.81 COP 8,854

$2.31 ₱140

21.65%

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

$1.84 COP 5,784

$0.67 ₱40.51

174.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,749

$0.52 ₱31.30

190.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 COP 9,719

$1.51 ₱91.7

103.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 COP 17.3K

$2.01 ₱122

173.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,236

$1.65 ₱101

-18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 COP 7,265

$1.22 ₱74.3

89.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,630

$0.97 ₱58.7

51.55%

Eggs

$2.69 COP 8,470

$1.82 ₱111

47.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 COP 28.0K

$8.93 ₱542

-0.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 COP 33.5K

$4.60 ₱280

131.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 COP 45.6K

$7.63 ₱463

89.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$2.02 ₱123

85.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,370

$1.49 ₱90.8

-6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,002

$1.92 ₱117

15.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 COP 6,241

$1.54 ₱93.7

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,475

$2.43 ₱148

-15.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,042

$2.04 ₱124

-21.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,283

$1.29 ₱78.2

-19.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 COP 3,998

$0.48 ₱29.13

164.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$2.93 ₱178

27.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 COP 41.3K

$6.04 ₱367

116.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,969

$0.81 ₱49.33

95.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 COP 9,515

$1.67 ₱102

80.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,681

$0.30 ₱18.15

290.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 COP 239.4K

$10.73 ₱652

607.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,736

$0.76 ₱46.36

97.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,574

$0.21 ₱12.73

895.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 COP 25.5K

$1.93 ₱117

319.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 3,979

$0.99 ₱60.1

27.27%

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

$26.9K COP 84.8M

$21.9K ₱1.3M

22.59%

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

$34.9K COP 109.9M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

77.50%

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

$148 COP 467.4K

$62.0 ₱3,765

139.36%

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

$13.03 COP 41.1K

$6.75 ₱410

93.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.48 COP 99.2K

$25.96 ₱1,577

21.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 COP 143.4K

$21.70 ₱1,319

109.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 COP 53.6K

$4.52 ₱275

276.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 COP 19.9K

$4.12 ₱250

53.40%

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

$837 COP 2.6M

$138 ₱8,382

506.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,663 COP 27.3M

$8,318 ₱505.4K

4.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 279.8K

$30.33 ₱1,843

192.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 COP 173.1K

$20.05 ₱1,218

173.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 COP 423.8K

$70.6 ₱4,287

90.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 341.4K

$49.91 ₱3,033

117.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 COP 3.0M

$293 ₱17.8K

220.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.0M

$314 ₱19.1K

105.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 COP 6.1M

$567 ₱34.5K

242.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 COP 3.5M

$407 ₱24.7K

176.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,638 COP 11.5M

$974 ₱59.2K

273.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 COP 4.9M

$878 ₱53.3K

76.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

7.2

44.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Last update for Panglao: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Medellin versus $293 in Panglao. 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 $43.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Panglao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $189 – making Panglao 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 Panglao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 99%, 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 $2,427 per month in Medellin and $1,217 in Panglao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Panglao, 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 $43.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Panglao. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,618 in Medellin and $811 in Panglao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Panglao, where all-in costs run around $811, than in Medellin at $1,618. In Panglao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Panglao – 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 Panglao. 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.