Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Siargao Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Siargao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $802 in Siargao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,248 in Siargao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,693 in Siargao, rent included.

Medellin costs about 109% more than Siargao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Siargao is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.65 ₱229

119.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$19.43 ₱1,218

146.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.28 ₱206

201.52%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.64 ₱166

18.56%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.76 ₱47.94

151.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.40 ₱24.90

277.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.29 ₱80.7

141.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.17 ₱136

164.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.82 ₱114

-20.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.27 ₱79.5

96.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.03 ₱64.4

71.84%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.07 ₱130

43.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.04 ₱504

25.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.14 ₱260

144.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.53 ₱472

89.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.85 ₱179

45.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.52 ₱95.0

5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.72 ₱171

-17.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.55 ₱97.5

45.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.21 ₱139

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.62 ₱165

-41.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.11 ₱69.8

5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.76 ₱47.90

72.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.92 ₱183

33.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.00 ₱439

100.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.21 ₱76.0

43.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.03 ₱127

41.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.26 ₱16.18

369.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$11.51 ₱722

599.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.83 ₱52.0

57.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.22 ₱13.73

895.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.15 ₱135

305.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.10 ₱69.2

24.55%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

6.15%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

72.17%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$111 ₱6,966

59.64%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$33.42 ₱2,096

-58.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$27.75 ₱1,741

7.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$33.34 ₱2,091

34.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$4.37 ₱274

291.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.76 ₱362

15.45%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$154 ₱9,688

426.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$4,282 ₱268.6K

114.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$46.52 ₱2,918

92.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$26.88 ₱1,686

119.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$74.4 ₱4,664

85.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$52.4 ₱3,286

94.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$263 ₱16.5K

303.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$178 ₱11.2K

272.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$577 ₱36.2K

227.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$393 ₱24.6K

161.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,350 ₱147.4K

78.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,028 ₱64.5K

62.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.67

64.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Siargao: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $263 in Siargao. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Siargao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $202 – making Siargao 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 Siargao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 109%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,204 in Siargao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $802 in Siargao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Siargao, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Siargao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Siargao – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Siargao. 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.