Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tagbilaran City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tagbilaran City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $716 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,183 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,649 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Tagbilaran City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Tagbilaran City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tagbilaran City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.52 ₱278

36.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$21.67 ₱1,334

50.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.34 ₱206

119.76%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.62 ₱161

-34.35%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.79 ₱48.73

32.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.42 ₱26.02

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.18 ₱72.5

43.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.16 ₱133

46.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.78 ₱109

-41.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.09 ₱66.8

19.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.94 ₱58.0

48.94%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.92 ₱118

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.52 ₱648

-58.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.65 ₱287

26.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.60 ₱468

13.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.58 ₱221

-36.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.32 ₱81.0

-15.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.27 ₱201

-53.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.90 ₱117

-28.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.31 ₱142

-51.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.43 ₱149

-53.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.01 ₱61.9

-15.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.69 ₱42.60

31.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.78 ₱171

-15.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.34 ₱390

95.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.00 ₱61.7

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.12 ₱68.9

122.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.28 ₱17.42

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.89 ₱54.8

59.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.25 ₱15.43

668.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.70 ₱166

183.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.15 ₱71.0

-13.91%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$28.2K ₱1.7M

-36.09%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.0K ₱1.4M

21.28%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$78.4 ₱4,827

3.07%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$26.08 ₱1,606

-61.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$29.46 ₱1,814

-17.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$34.18 ₱2,104

-26.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.33 ₱267

342.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.95 ₱243

0.76%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$228 ₱14.0K

34.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,830 ₱235.8K

58.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.82 ₱2,821

26.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$20.25 ₱1,247

59.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$73.7 ₱4,540

36.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$55.1 ₱3,390

95.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$214 ₱13.1K

123.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$152 ₱9,360

147.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$538 ₱33.1K

57.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$386 ₱23.8K

89.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$796 ₱49.0K

304.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$484 ₱29.8K

183.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$178 ₱10.9K

246.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $214 in Tagbilaran City. 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 247% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Tagbilaran City. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $210 in Tagbilaran City – 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 Tagbilaran City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,075 in Tagbilaran City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tagbilaran City, 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 $22.00 in Tagbilaran City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tagbilaran City, where all-in costs run around $716, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Tagbilaran City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tagbilaran City – 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 Tagbilaran City. 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.