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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $787 in Siargao, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,212 in Siargao, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,637 in Siargao, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Siargao, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Siargao are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Siargao 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.49 ₱214

69.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$19.60 ₱1,200

68.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.32 ₱203

123.80%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.65 ₱162

-37.74%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.82 ₱50.2

34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.37 ₱22.40

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.29 ₱79.3

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.15 ₱132

47.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.92 ₱117

-42.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.26 ₱77.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.01 ₱62.0

36.63%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.06 ₱126

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.18 ₱501

-45.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.13 ₱253

40.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.93 ₱486

13.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.87 ₱176

-19.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.56 ₱95.3

-32.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.58 ₱158

-41.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.55 ₱94.7

-12.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.20 ₱134

-48.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.54 ₱156

-53.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.11 ₱68.0

-18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.77 ₱47.40

16.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.88 ₱176

-22.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.82 ₱418

77.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.19 ₱73.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.96 ₱120

26.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.26 ₱15.76

226.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.84 ₱51.3

69.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.22 ₱13.45

786.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.10 ₱129

275.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.10 ₱67.2

-10.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

-33.56%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.3K ₱1.2M

32.33%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$115 ₱7,010

-27.51%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$33.42 ₱2,046

-70.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$27.94 ₱1,710

-15.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$34.02 ₱2,082

-25.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.56 ₱279

318.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.04 ₱370

-34.60%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$150 ₱9,167

110.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,291 ₱262.7K

39.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$45.86 ₱2,807

30.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$26.08 ₱1,597

22.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$74.2 ₱4,542

37.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$52.1 ₱3,190

106.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$262 ₱16.1K

80.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$177 ₱10.8K

111.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$595 ₱36.4K

42.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$390 ₱23.9K

84.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,351 ₱143.9K

38.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$936 ₱57.3K

53.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Siargao: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $262 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Siargao. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $204 in Siargao – 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 Siargao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,181 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $20.00 in Siargao. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Siargao, where all-in costs run around $787, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.