Cost of Living Comparison Between Palawan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Palawan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $777 per month in Palawan vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,216 per month in Palawan vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,655 per month in Palawan vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Palawan is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Palawan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Palawan 42% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 ₱222

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-38.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.42 ₱1,188

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-40.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.27 ₱200

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-54.58%

Cappuccino

$2.64 ₱162

$1.70 COP 6,186

55.29%

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

$0.82 ₱50.2

$1.10 COP 3,996

-25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.35

$0.72 COP 2,625

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ₱75.5

$1.67 COP 6,067

-26.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱131

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-30.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.06 COP 3,837

81.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱74.7

$1.25 COP 4,531

-2.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱59.1

$1.39 COP 5,060

-30.22%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱126

$2.26 COP 8,229

-8.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 ₱478

$4.33 COP 15.8K

80.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 ₱259

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-27.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 ₱483

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-10.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱182

$2.24 COP 8,159

33.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₱91.7

$1.08 COP 3,911

38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱166

$1.53 COP 5,563

77.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ₱97.3

$1.37 COP 4,987

16.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱139

$1.13 COP 4,109

101.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 ₱153

$1.12 COP 4,067

123.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱68.1

$0.85 COP 3,080

30.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₱46.18

$0.91 COP 3,305

-17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₱178

$2.33 COP 8,477

25.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.00 ₱428

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-37.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₱71.5

$1.19 COP 4,342

-1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱121

$2.37 COP 8,617

-16.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.28

$0.79 COP 2,859

-64.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱48.08

$1.44 COP 5,223

-45.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.70

$1.91 COP 6,952

-87.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₱131

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-73.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.4

$0.94 COP 3,410

22.34%

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

$26.8K ₱1.6M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

49.58%

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

$20.1K ₱1.2M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-25.02%

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

$115 ₱7,009

$84.0 COP 305.4K

36.46%

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

$33.00 ₱2,019

$9.60 COP 34.9K

243.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.96 ₱1,711

$24.16 COP 87.9K

15.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.00 ₱2,080

$25.88 COP 94.1K

31.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.38 ₱268

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-77.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ₱362

$3.92 COP 14.2K

51.02%

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

$149 ₱9,103

$306 COP 1.1M

-51.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,320 ₱264.3K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-27.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.87 ₱2,806

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-20.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.30 ₱1,609

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-17.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,685

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-23.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 ₱3,272

$107 COP 389.7K

-50.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.2K

$487 COP 1.8M

-45.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₱11.0K

$368 COP 1.3M

-51.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₱36.0K

$826 COP 3.0M

-28.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 ₱23.6K

$716 COP 2.6M

-46.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,309 ₱141.3K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-21.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$823 ₱50.3K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-41.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 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 Palawan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $265 in Palawan versus $487 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 $19.00 in Palawan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Palawan vs $190 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

Palawan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,166 per month in Palawan and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palawan, 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 $19.00 in Palawan and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Palawan, where all-in costs run around $777, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Palawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Palawan – 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 Palawan. 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.