🙂A single person spends $776 per month in Pagadian vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,092 per month in Pagadian vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,408 per month in Pagadian vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Pagadian is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Pagadian and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Pagadian42% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pagadian
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.49₱215
$6.16COP 20.1K
-43.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.85₱1,099
$32.60COP 106.1K
-45.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.22₱198
$7.34COP 23.9K
-56.13%
Cappuccino
$2.90₱178
$1.72COP 5,600
68.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96₱58.8
$1.05COP 3,420
-8.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46₱28.18
$0.77COP 2,515
-40.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.08₱66.5
$1.69COP 5,488
-36.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73₱107
$3.17COP 10.3K
-45.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pagadian
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.72₱106
$1.05COP 3,423
63.81%
White Bread(500g)
$1.07₱66.0
$1.30COP 4,236
-17.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.03₱63.3
$1.40COP 4,544
-26.43%
Eggs
$2.05₱126
$2.16COP 7,047
-5.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.19₱504
$4.39COP 14.3K
86.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.87₱300
$5.88COP 19.1K
-17.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.85₱360
$8.64COP 28.1K
-32.29%
Apples(1kg)
$3.46₱213
$2.28COP 7,426
51.75%
Banana(1kg)
$1.12₱68.9
$1.11COP 3,604
0.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.36₱207
$1.53COP 4,983
119.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.38₱85.1
$1.35COP 4,410
2.22%
Potato(1kg)
$2.65₱163
$1.13COP 3,674
134.51%
Onion(1kg)
$3.41₱210
$1.13COP 3,692
201.77%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10₱67.9
$0.85COP 2,753
29.41%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75₱46.39
$0.91COP 2,975
-17.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.60₱160
$2.34COP 7,630
11.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.31₱511
$12.37COP 40.3K
-32.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04₱64.3
$1.20COP 3,909
-13.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47₱90.4
$2.49COP 8,104
-40.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Pagadian
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.28₱17.29
$0.84COP 2,728
-66.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$7.15₱440
$40.57COP 132.1K
-82.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱47.55
$1.42COP 4,623
-45.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.22₱13.53
$1.92COP 6,235
-88.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.10₱129
$7.66COP 24.9K
-72.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.25₱76.9
$0.99COP 3,223
26.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K₱1.6M
$18.0KCOP 58.7M
48.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.6K₱1.3M
$26.6KCOP 86.7M
-22.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pagadian
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$93.9₱5,784
$80.8COP 263.1K
16.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.31₱1,989
$9.95COP 32.4K
224.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.98₱1,661
$24.18COP 78.7K
11.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pagadian
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.52₱2,064
$25.08COP 81.7K
33.65%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.31₱265
$19.15COP 62.3K
-77.49%
Cinema Ticket
$5.79₱356
$3.98COP 13.0K
45.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pagadian
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$154₱9,480
$305COP 993.5K
-49.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,303₱264.9K
$6,059COP 19.7M
-28.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pagadian
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.08₱2,837
$58.1COP 189.2K
-20.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.28₱1,618
$32.20COP 104.8K
-18.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.2₱4,569
$101COP 327.9K
-26.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.2₱3,213
$108COP 350.8K
-51.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pagadian
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$112₱6,883
$477COP 1.6M
-76.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$176₱10.8K
$376COP 1.2M
-53.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$245₱15.1K
$845COP 2.7M
-70.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$153₱9,426
$730COP 2.4M
-79.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,755₱169.6K
$3,215COP 10.5M
-14.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$908₱55.9K
$1,372COP 4.5M
-33.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pagadian
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$617COP 2.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
13.43
-50.34%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pagadian: July 13, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $112 in Pagadian versus $477 in Medellin. 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 $18.00 in Pagadian versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Pagadian vs $193 in Medellin – 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
Pagadian vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Pagadian?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,165 per month in Pagadian and $1,546 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 Pagadian, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Pagadian or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Pagadian and $33.00 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 Pagadian and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $776 in Pagadian and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Pagadian or in Medellin?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pagadian, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Pagadian it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Pagadian or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Pagadian – 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 Pagadian. 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.