Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tuguegarao Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tuguegarao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $442 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $717 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $992 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

Medellin costs about 280% more than Tuguegarao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tuguegarao is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.57 ₱98.2

410.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$16.41 ₱1,029

191.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$2.75 ₱173

259.64%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.76 ₱110

77.84%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.44 ₱27.38

334.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.28 ₱17.46

439.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.04 ₱65.2

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.63 ₱102

252.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.69 ₱106

-14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.10 ₱69.3

126.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.69 ₱43.36

156.52%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.00 ₱125

48.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$4.97 ₱312

102.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.44 ₱216

194.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.77 ₱487

84.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.28 ₱143

81.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.60 ₱100

0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.31 ₱145

-2.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.02 ₱63.9

120.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.68 ₱106

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.77 ₱111

-12.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.67 ₱41.78

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.52 ₱32.91

151.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.94 ₱122

101.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.52 ₱534

64.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.93 ₱58.2

87.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.99 ₱125

44.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.81 ₱50.6

61.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.23 ₱14.35

852.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.88 ₱118

363.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.14 ₱71.6

20.18%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.7K ₱1.4M

28.17%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

87.81%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$31.31 ₱1,964

466.27%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$17.61 ₱1,105

-21.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$23.13 ₱1,451

28.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$24.27 ₱1,522

84.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$4.89 ₱307

250.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.31 ₱333

25.24%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$132 ₱8,289

515.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$10.8K ₱677.4K

-14.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$28.35 ₱1,778

215.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$19.48 ₱1,222

202.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$40.39 ₱2,533

242.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$24.29 ₱1,523

320.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$127 ₱7,990

733.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$62.6 ₱3,928

958.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$188 ₱11.8K

904.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$125 ₱7,865

719.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$203 ₱12.7K

233.50%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Tuguegarao: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $127 in Tuguegarao. 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 234% 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 $16.00 in Tuguegarao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $173 – making Tuguegarao 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 Tuguegarao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 280%, 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 $663 in Tuguegarao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tuguegarao, 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 $16.00 in Tuguegarao. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 76% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tuguegarao, where all-in costs run around $442, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Tuguegarao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tuguegarao – 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 Tuguegarao. 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.