Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pasig Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pasig

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $718 in Pasig, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,200 in Pasig, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,682 in Pasig, rent included.

Medellin costs about 129% more than Pasig, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Pasig is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.97 ₱249

102.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$25.72 ₱1,613

87.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$2.74 ₱172

243.80%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.31 ₱145

27.27%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.66 ₱41.67

181.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.31 ₱19.68

370.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.14 ₱71.4

181.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.69 ₱169

112.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.67 ₱104

-13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.16 ₱73.0

106.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.03 ₱64.4

65.05%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.07 ₱130

39.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$5.70 ₱357

76.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.37 ₱211

195.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.68 ₱481

84.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.20 ₱201

24.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.56 ₱97.7

1.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.96 ₱186

-27.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.70 ₱107

35.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.35 ₱147

-14.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.60 ₱163

-41.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.17 ₱136

-44.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.55 ₱34.55

132.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.89 ₱181

32.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$9.55 ₱599

46.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.35 ₱84.4

26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.01 ₱126

36.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.50 ₱31.12

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.77 ₱48.31

70.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.21 ₱13.11

933.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$1.92 ₱121

331.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.14 ₱71.4

19.30%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

30.35%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

91.55%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$123 ₱7,733

36.78%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$17.58 ₱1,102

-22.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$23.97 ₱1,503

18.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$30.49 ₱1,911

49.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$6.40 ₱401

3.91%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$133 ₱8,318

505.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$9,084 ₱569.4K

1.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$34.53 ₱2,165

153.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$27.89 ₱1,749

112.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$72.8 ₱4,563

90.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$54.8 ₱3,437

86.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$277 ₱17.4K

285.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$129 ₱8,061

407.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$520 ₱32.6K

269.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$477 ₱29.9K

119.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$3,260 ₱204.3K

26.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$2,540 ₱159.3K

-33.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$440 ₱27.6K

48.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Pasig: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $277 in Pasig. 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 49% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Pasig. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $201 – making Pasig 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 Pasig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 129%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,077 in Pasig. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pasig, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in Pasig. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pasig, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Pasig it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pasig – 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 Pasig. 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.