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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $833 in Panglao, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,220 in Panglao, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,608 in Panglao, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Panglao, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Panglao are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Panglao 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.53 ₱280

30.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$12.46 ₱769

162.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.41 ₱272

63.27%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.53 ₱156

-32.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.84 ₱51.6

30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.28 ₱17.29

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.55 ₱95.7

7.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.94 ₱119

59.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.73 ₱107

-38.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.07 ₱66.1

16.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.04 ₱64.3

33.65%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.97 ₱122

14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.21 ₱568

-52.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.20 ₱321

12.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.69 ₱475

14.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.11 ₱130

6.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.46 ₱89.9

-26.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.17 ₱134

-29.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.98 ₱122

-30.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.56 ₱158

-55.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.56 ₱158

-56.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.91 ₱56.4

-6.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.48 ₱29.56

89.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.71 ₱167

-14.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.57 ₱343

99.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.93 ₱57.1

27.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.73 ₱107

36.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.26 ₱15.88

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.88 ₱54.0

63.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.23 ₱14.09

730.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.69 ₱166

198.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.08 ₱66.5

-12.96%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$30.3K ₱1.9M

-40.94%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.6K ₱1.7M

-3.01%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$98.6 ₱6,079

-14.81%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$8.65 ₱534

10.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$26.57 ₱1,639

-9.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$14.57 ₱898

77.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.40 ₱271

332.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.48 ₱276

-12.50%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$230 ₱14.2K

33.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,908 ₱241.0K

51.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$45.71 ₱2,819

26.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$23.12 ₱1,426

37.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$74.2 ₱4,579

34.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$53.8 ₱3,316

99.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$329 ₱20.3K

48.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$277 ₱17.1K

32.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$706 ₱43.6K

16.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$512 ₱31.6K

39.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$983 ₱60.6K

197.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$870 ₱53.7K

61.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$132 ₱8,123

314.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Panglao: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $329 in Panglao. 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 314% 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 $12.00 in Panglao. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $196 in Panglao – 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 Panglao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,250 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $12.00 in Panglao. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Panglao, where all-in costs run around $833, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.