Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nueva Ecija and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Nueva Ecija: $517 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nueva Ecija, Philippines
Medellin, Colombia
Nueva Ecija
🇵🇭 Philippines
$517
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nueva Ecija and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nueva Ecija and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $517 per month in Nueva Ecija vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Nueva Ecija $517
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $912 per month in Nueva Ecija vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Nueva Ecija $912
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1,307 per month in Nueva Ecija vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Nueva Ecija $1,307
  • Medellin $3,186

Nueva Ecija is about 68% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nueva Ecija sits 62% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nueva Ecija
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.85 ₱246
$8.09 COP 25.4K
-52.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.14 ₱1,031
$47.05 COP 148.0K
-65.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.72 ₱174
$9.50 COP 29.9K
-71.37%
Cappuccino
$1.43 ₱91.4
$3.01 COP 9,485
-52.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 ₱35.33
$1.80 COP 5,660
-69.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ₱19.45
$1.41 COP 4,443
-78.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.94 ₱60.2
$3.18 COP 9,990
-70.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 ₱98.9
$5.75 COP 18.1K
-73.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nueva Ecija
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.60 ₱102
$1.51 COP 4,751
5.96%
White Bread (500g)
$0.94 ₱60.0
$2.38 COP 7,480
-60.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.92 ₱59.0
$1.77 COP 5,573
-48.02%
Eggs
$1.57 ₱100
$2.89 COP 9,093
-45.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.89 ₱313
$10.19 COP 32.1K
-52.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.29 ₱210
$9.87 COP 31.1K
-66.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.70 ₱364
$13.99 COP 44.0K
-59.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.18 ₱139
$3.97 COP 12.5K
-45.09%
Banana (1kg)
$0.69 ₱44.00
$1.55 COP 4,883
-55.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.69 ₱108
$2.18 COP 6,867
-22.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.05 ₱67.2
$2.18 COP 6,870
-51.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.73 ₱110
$1.96 COP 6,174
-11.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 ₱113
$1.59 COP 5,000
11.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.64 ₱40.93
$1.15 COP 3,604
-44.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.41 ₱26.51
$1.24 COP 3,911
-66.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.25 ₱144
$3.96 COP 12.5K
-43.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.23 ₱270
$13.68 COP 43.0K
-69.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₱57.5
$1.66 COP 5,221
-45.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 ₱126
$2.26 COP 7,103
-12.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Nueva Ecija
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 ₱18.06
$1.17 COP 3,674
-76.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$5.35 ₱342
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-93.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.73 ₱46.80
$1.27 COP 3,989
-42.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.14 ₱8.77
$2.05 COP 6,442
-93.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 ₱65.9
$8.55 COP 26.9K
-87.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 ₱54.5
$1.35 COP 4,237
-37.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.8K ₱1.0M
$34.1K COP 107.2M
-53.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.0K ₱1.2M
$34.7K COP 109.1M
-45.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nueva Ecija
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.6 ₱5,019
$170 COP 533.7K
-53.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.26 ₱1,103
$13.55 COP 42.6K
27.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.13 ₱1,158
$28.07 COP 88.3K
-35.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nueva Ecija
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.13 ₱1,989
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-28.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.65 ₱297
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-72.95%
Cinema Ticket
$4.32 ₱276
$6.91 COP 21.7K
-37.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nueva Ecija
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$133 ₱8,488
$797 COP 2.5M
-83.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K ₱694.7K
$9,112 COP 28.7M
19.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nueva Ecija
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.55 ₱1,824
$84.7 COP 266.5K
-66.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.54 ₱1,248
$58.0 COP 182.3K
-66.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.5 ₱4,501
$135 COP 424.6K
-47.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$53.9 ₱3,443
$97.9 COP 307.9K
-44.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nueva Ecija
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$113 ₱7,241
$1,208 COP 3.8M
-90.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$66.9 ₱4,272
$642 COP 2.0M
-89.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$174 ₱11.1K
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-91.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$348 ₱22.2K
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-65.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,619 ₱167.4K
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-37.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,200 ₱76.7K
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-37.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nueva Ecija
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$184 ₱11.8K
$657 COP 2.1M
-72.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
10.94
-38.30%

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

Last update for Nueva Ecija: October 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Nueva Ecija
$144
Medellin
$297 107% $153
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nueva Ecija
$114
Medellin
$211 85.4% $97
Clothing & Footwear
Nueva Ecija
$78
Medellin
$169 118% $91
Eating Out
Nueva Ecija
$67
Medellin
$170 152% $102
Accommodation & Living
Nueva Ecija
$67
Medellin
$642 860% $575
Sport & Entertainment
Nueva Ecija
$40
Medellin
$58 44.7% $18
Getting Around
Nueva Ecija
$7.9
Medellin
$94 1086% $86

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $113 in Nueva Ecija versus $1,208 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Medellin are about 3.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Nueva Ecija versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $144 vs $297 – making Nueva Ecija the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Nueva Ecija
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
07:12 7:12 AM
18:12 6:12 PM
13 h behind Nueva Ecija
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
64,610
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nueva Ecija Medellin 16,980 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nueva Ecija
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Nueva Ecija vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nueva Ecija cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 217%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $776 per month in Nueva Ecija and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nueva Ecija, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $113 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Nueva Ecija or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Nueva Ecija and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Nueva Ecija and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $517 in Nueva Ecija and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Nueva Ecija about 68% cheaper.
Is $800 a realistic budget for living in Nueva Ecija or in Medellin?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Nueva Ecija, where all-in costs run around $517, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Nueva Ecija it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nueva Ecija or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nueva Ecija – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nueva Ecija. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Nueva Ecija vs other spots: cost of living compared

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