Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pasay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pasay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $931 in Pasay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,265 in Pasay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,598 in Pasay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 81% more than Pasay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Pasay is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$4.55 ₱280

73.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$19.31 ₱1,191

130.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$2.93 ₱181

217.06%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.30 ₱142

26.09%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.60 ₱37.04

201.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.32 ₱19.43

384.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.22 ₱75.2

166.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.65 ₱102

256.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.74 ₱107

-20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.15 ₱70.6

113.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$0.97 ₱59.9

55.67%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.81 ₱111

53.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$5.12 ₱316

76.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.18 ₱258

154.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$7.35 ₱453

99.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.24 ₱138

77.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.56 ₱96.0

-11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.43 ₱150

-5.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.19 ₱73.5

69.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$2.32 ₱143

-9.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$3.42 ₱211

-52.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.31 ₱80.8

-17.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.85 ₱52.6

47.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.96 ₱182

36.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$7.66 ₱472

75.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.00 ₱61.4

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.78 ₱110

68.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.21 ₱13.08

461.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.79 ₱48.63

103.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.24 ₱14.80

787.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$2.00 ₱124

326.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.20 ₱74.1

12.50%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

33.02%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

83.15%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$145 ₱8,957

4.19%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$14.53 ₱895

-9.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$25.95 ₱1,600

24.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$32.13 ₱1,981

44.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$5.46 ₱337

17.77%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$75.4 ₱4,650

1006.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$2,599 ₱160.2K

241.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$35.88 ₱2,212

148.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$20.01 ₱1,234

176.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$76.9 ₱4,740

77.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$65.5 ₱4,036

67.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$437 ₱26.9K

117.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$325 ₱20.1K

105.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$850 ₱52.4K

137.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$376 ₱23.1K

205.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,923 ₱118.5K

92.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$581 ₱35.8K

172.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$531 ₱32.7K

17.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

49.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Pasay: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $437 in Pasay. 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 18% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Pasay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $188 – making Pasay 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 Pasay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 81%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,397 in Pasay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pasay, 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Pasay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pasay, where all-in costs run around $931, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Pasay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pasay – 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 Pasay. 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.