Cost of Living Comparison Between Panglao and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Panglao and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $811 per month in Panglao vs $1,618 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,160 per month in Panglao vs $2,460 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,509 per month in Panglao vs $3,302 in Medellin, rent included.

Panglao is about 50% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Panglao sits 40% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 ₱242

$7.69 COP 24.2K

-48.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.53 ₱1,491

$43.28 COP 136.4K

-43.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 ₱248

$9.50 COP 30.0K

-57.05%

Cappuccino

$2.31 ₱140

$2.81 COP 8,854

-17.79%

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

$0.67 ₱40.51

$1.84 COP 5,784

-63.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱31.30

$1.51 COP 4,749

-65.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ₱91.7

$3.08 COP 9,719

-50.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱122

$5.49 COP 17.3K

-63.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₱101

$1.34 COP 4,236

23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱74.3

$2.31 COP 7,265

-47.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱58.7

$1.47 COP 4,630

-34.01%

Eggs

$1.82 ₱111

$2.69 COP 8,470

-32.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 ₱542

$8.87 COP 28.0K

0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 ₱280

$10.64 COP 33.5K

-56.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 ₱463

$14.47 COP 45.6K

-47.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ₱123

$3.75 COP 11.8K

-46.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₱90.8

$1.39 COP 4,370

7.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ₱117

$2.22 COP 7,002

-13.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱93.7

$1.98 COP 6,241

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 ₱148

$2.05 COP 6,475

18.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 ₱124

$1.60 COP 5,042

27.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ₱78.2

$1.04 COP 3,283

24.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₱29.13

$1.27 COP 3,998

-62.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 ₱178

$3.75 COP 11.8K

-21.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.04 ₱367

$13.10 COP 41.3K

-53.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₱49.33

$1.58 COP 4,969

-48.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₱102

$3.02 COP 9,515

-44.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₱18.15

$1.17 COP 3,681

-74.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.73 ₱652

$76.0 COP 239.4K

-85.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱46.36

$1.50 COP 4,736

-49.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱12.73

$2.09 COP 6,574

-89.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₱117

$8.10 COP 25.5K

-76.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 ₱60.1

$1.26 COP 3,979

-21.43%

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

$21.9K ₱1.3M

$26.9K COP 84.8M

-18.43%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$34.9K COP 109.9M

-43.66%

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

$62.0 ₱3,765

$148 COP 467.4K

-58.22%

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

$6.75 ₱410

$13.03 COP 41.1K

-48.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.96 ₱1,577

$31.48 COP 99.2K

-17.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.70 ₱1,319

$45.50 COP 143.4K

-52.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₱275

$17.02 COP 53.6K

-73.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.12 ₱250

$6.32 COP 19.9K

-34.81%

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

$138 ₱8,382

$837 COP 2.6M

-83.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,318 ₱505.4K

$8,663 COP 27.3M

-3.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.33 ₱1,843

$88.8 COP 279.8K

-65.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.05 ₱1,218

$54.9 COP 173.1K

-63.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 ₱4,287

$134 COP 423.8K

-47.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.91 ₱3,033

$108 COP 341.4K

-53.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 ₱17.8K

$939 COP 3.0M

-68.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 ₱19.1K

$646 COP 2.0M

-51.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 ₱34.5K

$1,941 COP 6.1M

-70.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 ₱24.7K

$1,126 COP 3.5M

-63.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$974 ₱59.2K

$3,638 COP 11.5M

-73.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$878 ₱53.3K

$1,553 COP 4.9M

-43.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

10.43

-30.97%

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

Last update for Panglao: August 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $293 in Panglao versus $939 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 $25.00 in Panglao versus $43.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $291 – making Panglao 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

Panglao vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 99%, 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 $1,217 per month in Panglao and $2,427 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Panglao, 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 $25.00 in Panglao and $43.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $811 in Panglao and $1,618 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Panglao, where all-in costs run around $811, than in Medellin at $1,618. In Panglao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Panglao – 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 Panglao. 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.