Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Paranaque City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Paranaque City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $917 in Paranaque City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,397 in Paranaque City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,877 in Paranaque City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 12% more than Paranaque City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Paranaque City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Paranaque City 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.77 ₱294

29.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$20.97 ₱1,293

55.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$2.63 ₱162

179.09%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.93 ₱119

-10.88%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.78 ₱48.29

34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.37 ₱22.85

108.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.22 ₱75.0

38.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.73 ₱168

16.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.83 ₱113

-42.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.27 ₱78.0

2.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.11 ₱68.3

26.13%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.96 ₱121

10.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.23 ₱322

-16.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.13 ₱254

42.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.08 ₱437

22.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.44 ₱274

-48.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.58 ₱97.6

-29.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.90 ₱179

-47.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.70 ₱105

-20.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.74 ₱107

-35.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.09 ₱129

-45.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.04 ₱63.9

-18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.45 ₱27.64

102.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.44 ₱150

-4.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.52 ₱464

64.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.01 ₱62.1

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.95 ₱120

27.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.20 ₱12.31

320.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$10.56 ₱651

284.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.82 ₱50.6

73.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.24 ₱14.89

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.11 ₱130

263.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.09 ₱67.5

-9.17%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-33.24%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

28.69%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$152 ₱9,391

-46.93%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$14.00 ₱863

-28.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$29.37 ₱1,811

-17.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$33.66 ₱2,076

-25.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.17 ₱442

167.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.20 ₱444

-44.72%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$80.4 ₱4,957

279.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,824 ₱174.1K

114.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$32.45 ₱2,001

79.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$15.67 ₱967

105.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$65.6 ₱4,047

53.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$92.6 ₱5,711

16.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$335 ₱20.6K

42.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$285 ₱17.6K

32.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$862 ₱53.1K

-1.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$591 ₱36.4K

23.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,143 ₱70.5K

181.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$425 ₱26.2K

222.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$501 ₱30.9K

23.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.25

85.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Paranaque City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $335 in Paranaque City. 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 23% 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 $21.00 in Paranaque City. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $195 in Paranaque City – 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 Paranaque City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,376 in Paranaque City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paranaque City, 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 $21.00 in Paranaque City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $917 in Paranaque City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Paranaque City, where all-in costs run around $917, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Paranaque City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paranaque City – 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 Paranaque City. 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.