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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $777 in Siargao, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,219 in Siargao, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,662 in Siargao, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Siargao, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Siargao are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Siargao 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.1K

$3.62 ₱220

63.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 116.6K

$19.32 ₱1,174

69.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 25.6K

$3.25 ₱197

121.54%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,054

$2.50 ₱152

-32.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.79 ₱47.88

39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,569

$0.39 ₱23.87

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 5,937

$1.24 ₱75.3

34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.0K

$2.15 ₱131

44.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,755

$1.83 ₱111

-42.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,434

$1.25 ₱76.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,951

$1.03 ₱62.4

34.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,053

$2.08 ₱127

8.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.4K

$7.94 ₱483

-45.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 20.8K

$4.28 ₱260

36.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.4K

$7.76 ₱471

13.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 7,985

$2.85 ₱173

-21.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,827

$1.55 ₱94.3

-30.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,444

$2.61 ₱159

-41.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,880

$1.55 ₱94.4

-11.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,021

$2.32 ₱141

-51.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,980

$2.58 ₱157

-56.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,014

$1.07 ₱64.8

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,235

$0.75 ₱45.82

21.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,295

$2.90 ₱176

-19.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 39.6K

$6.65 ₱404

67.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,249

$1.15 ₱70.0

3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,433

$2.03 ₱124

16.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,798

$0.28 ₱17.08

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,111

$0.81 ₱49.29

77.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,803

$0.24 ₱14.66

695.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.5K

$2.09 ₱127

283.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,337

$1.11 ₱67.5

-15.32%

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

$17.9K COP 63.8M

$26.9K ₱1.6M

-33.49%

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

$26.8K COP 95.4M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

28.70%

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

$84.0 COP 298.8K

$112 ₱6,832

-25.32%

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

$9.60 COP 34.2K

$32.29 ₱1,962

-70.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 86.0K

$27.94 ₱1,698

-13.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 92.1K

$34.37 ₱2,089

-24.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 67.8K

$4.36 ₱265

336.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 13.9K

$6.00 ₱365

-34.67%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$154 ₱9,374

98.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.1M

$4,321 ₱262.6K

36.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 206.1K

$46.59 ₱2,831

24.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 113.3K

$26.07 ₱1,584

22.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 355.6K

$75.4 ₱4,582

32.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 381.3K

$53.7 ₱3,260

99.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.7M

$262 ₱15.9K

85.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$176 ₱10.7K

109.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 2.9M

$577 ₱35.1K

43.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.5M

$393 ₱23.9K

82.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.4M

$2,335 ₱141.9K

25.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.0M

$829 ₱50.4K

69.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 1.9M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Siargao: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 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 in Medellin versus $19 in Siargao. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $202 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 33%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,165 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 $19.00 in Siargao. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $777, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.