Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vigan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vigan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $691 in Vigan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,089 in Vigan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,487 in Vigan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 49% more than Vigan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Vigan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Vigan 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.50 ₱211

71.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$13.52 ₱814

142.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$1.82 ₱110

307.69%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.73 ₱104

-4.62%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.65 ₱39.05

64.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.41 ₱24.45

85.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.21 ₱72.8

42.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$1.73 ₱104

84.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.89 ₱114

-44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.25 ₱75.1

4.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.71 ₱43.02

88.73%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.22 ₱134

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$9.06 ₱546

-51.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.71 ₱224

53.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$7.23 ₱436

17.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.74 ₱165

-14.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.58 ₱95.4

-29.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.25 ₱136

-32.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.17 ₱70.4

17.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.62 ₱97.5

-29.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.18 ₱131

-45.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.72 ₱43.56

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.72 ₱43.45

19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.26 ₱136

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$9.39 ₱566

23.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.04 ₱62.5

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.73 ₱104

43.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.28 ₱17.05

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.73 ₱43.69

101.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.16 ₱9.49

1100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$2.33 ₱140

233.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.10 ₱66.5

-8.18%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$14.1K ₱849.4K

25.20%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$15.9K ₱956.2K

66.63%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$52.6 ₱3,169

54.15%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$34.60 ₱2,084

-72.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$26.45 ₱1,593

-9.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$33.79 ₱2,035

-23.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$4.56 ₱275

310.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$5.79 ₱349

-29.36%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$35.13 ₱2,116

795.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$4,677 ₱281.7K

28.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$49.04 ₱2,953

21.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$27.91 ₱1,681

14.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$62.1 ₱3,739

63.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$46.48 ₱2,799

126.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$266 ₱16.0K

82.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$177 ₱10.7K

105.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$576 ₱34.7K

43.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$395 ₱23.8K

85.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,766 ₱166.6K

8.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$984 ₱59.3K

33.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.5

198.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Vigan: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $266 in Vigan. 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 $14.00 in Vigan. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $197 in Vigan – 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 Vigan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 49%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,037 in Vigan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vigan, 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 $14.00 in Vigan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 Vigan, where all-in costs run around $691, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Vigan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vigan – 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 Vigan. 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.