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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $736 in Vigan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,092 in Vigan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,448 in Vigan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 128% more than Vigan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Vigan is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$3.88 ₱244

106.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$16.63 ₱1,045

187.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$1.79 ₱112

452.51%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.76 ₱111

77.84%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.60 ₱37.45

218.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.33 ₱20.97

357.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.04 ₱65.1

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.58 ₱99.2

263.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.59 ₱100

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.15 ₱72.2

116.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.03 ₱64.4

71.84%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.08 ₱131

42.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$5.15 ₱324

95.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.47 ₱218

191.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.81 ₱491

83.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.29 ₱144

80.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.60 ₱100

0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.32 ₱146

-3.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.02 ₱64.1

120.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.72 ₱108

18.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.77 ₱111

-12.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.67 ₱41.92

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.49 ₱31.00

167.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.92 ₱183

33.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$8.68 ₱545

61.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$0.91 ₱57.0

91.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.05 ₱129

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.26 ₱16.37

369.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$12.05 ₱757

567.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.78 ₱48.80

67.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.23 ₱14.35

852.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$1.89 ₱119

360.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.20 ₱75.5

14.17%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

29.73%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

83.04%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$140 ₱8,825

26.23%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$17.18 ₱1,080

-19.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$23.34 ₱1,467

27.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$30.92 ₱1,943

45.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$5.22 ₱328

227.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$5.31 ₱334

25.24%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$131 ₱8,221

521.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$10.7K ₱674.6K

-14.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$28.45 ₱1,787

214.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$19.51 ₱1,226

202.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$72.1 ₱4,527

91.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$54.7 ₱3,434

86.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$298 ₱18.7K

256.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$167 ₱10.5K

296.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$462 ₱29.0K

309.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$395 ₱24.8K

159.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,579 ₱162.0K

62.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,164 ₱73.1K

43.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

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 Vigan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $298 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Vigan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $175 – making Vigan 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 Vigan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 128%, 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 $1,104 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in Vigan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $736 in Vigan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Vigan, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.