Cost of Living Comparison Between Siargao and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Siargao and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $1,219 per month in Siargao vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,662 per month in Siargao vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 ₱220

$5.92 COP 21.1K

-38.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.32 ₱1,174

$32.75 COP 116.6K

-41.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 ₱197

$7.20 COP 25.6K

-54.86%

Cappuccino

$2.50 ₱152

$1.70 COP 6,054

47.06%

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

$0.79 ₱47.88

$1.10 COP 3,910

-28.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱23.87

$0.72 COP 2,569

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 ₱75.3

$1.67 COP 5,937

-25.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱131

$3.10 COP 11.0K

-30.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱111

$1.06 COP 3,755

72.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₱76.3

$1.25 COP 4,434

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱62.4

$1.39 COP 4,951

-25.90%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱127

$2.26 COP 8,053

-7.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 ₱483

$4.33 COP 15.4K

83.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 ₱260

$5.84 COP 20.8K

-26.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 ₱471

$8.83 COP 31.4K

-12.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ₱173

$2.24 COP 7,985

27.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₱94.3

$1.08 COP 3,827

43.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 ₱159

$1.53 COP 5,444

70.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱94.4

$1.37 COP 4,880

13.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 ₱141

$1.13 COP 4,021

105.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 ₱157

$1.12 COP 3,980

130.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱64.8

$0.85 COP 3,014

25.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₱45.82

$0.91 COP 3,235

-17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ₱176

$2.33 COP 8,295

24.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.65 ₱404

$11.13 COP 39.6K

-40.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱70.0

$1.19 COP 4,249

-3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱124

$2.37 COP 8,433

-14.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.08

$0.79 COP 2,798

-64.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.29

$1.44 COP 5,111

-43.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.66

$1.91 COP 6,803

-87.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₱127

$8.02 COP 28.5K

-73.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱67.5

$0.94 COP 3,337

18.09%

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

$26.9K ₱1.6M

$17.9K COP 63.8M

50.36%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$26.8K COP 95.4M

-22.30%

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

$112 ₱6,832

$84.0 COP 298.8K

33.90%

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

$32.29 ₱1,962

$9.60 COP 34.2K

236.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.94 ₱1,698

$24.16 COP 86.0K

15.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.37 ₱2,089

$25.88 COP 92.1K

32.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.36 ₱265

$19.04 COP 67.8K

-77.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.00 ₱365

$3.92 COP 13.9K

53.06%

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

$154 ₱9,374

$306 COP 1.1M

-49.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,321 ₱262.6K

$5,919 COP 21.1M

-27.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.59 ₱2,831

$57.9 COP 206.1K

-19.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.07 ₱1,584

$31.82 COP 113.3K

-18.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ₱4,582

$99.9 COP 355.6K

-24.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 ₱3,260

$107 COP 381.3K

-49.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱15.9K

$487 COP 1.7M

-46.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₱10.7K

$368 COP 1.3M

-52.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 ₱35.1K

$826 COP 2.9M

-30.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₱23.9K

$716 COP 2.5M

-45.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,335 ₱141.9K

$2,925 COP 10.4M

-20.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 ₱50.4K

$1,407 COP 5.0M

-41.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 1.9M

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 Siargao: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Siargao 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 in Siargao versus $33 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Siargao 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

Siargao 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 $1,165 per month in Siargao 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 Siargao, 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 Siargao 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 6% 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 Siargao, where all-in costs run around $777, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Siargao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Siargao – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Siargao. 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.