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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $774 per month in Siargao vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,210 per month in Siargao vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,646 per month in Siargao vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Siargao is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Siargao and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Siargao 42% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 ₱221

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-38.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.23 ₱1,168

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-42.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.27 ₱199

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-54.77%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱154

$1.63 COP 5,687

55.21%

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

$0.82 ₱49.87

$1.09 COP 3,821

-24.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.16

$0.73 COP 2,548

-45.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ₱75.9

$1.74 COP 6,065

-28.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱131

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-33.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱116

$1.05 COP 3,662

80.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱73.5

$1.29 COP 4,515

-6.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱61.7

$1.32 COP 4,617

-22.73%

Eggs

$2.07 ₱125

$2.27 COP 7,927

-8.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 ₱482

$4.35 COP 15.2K

82.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 ₱263

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-26.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 ₱474

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-9.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱181

$2.25 COP 7,844

32.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₱91.3

$1.07 COP 3,733

40.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 ₱160

$1.52 COP 5,322

73.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱93.9

$1.42 COP 4,964

9.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 ₱141

$1.17 COP 4,084

98.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₱154

$1.17 COP 4,077

116.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱64.7

$0.89 COP 3,096

19.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱43.48

$0.90 COP 3,146

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ₱176

$2.25 COP 7,837

28.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.76 ₱410

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-38.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₱70.9

$1.14 COP 3,977

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱123

$2.38 COP 8,301

-15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.03

$0.84 COP 2,916

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱50.6

$1.41 COP 4,912

-41.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.64

$1.90 COP 6,634

-87.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱131

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-72.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱66.2

$1.01 COP 3,509

7.92%

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

$26.8K ₱1.6M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

52.70%

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

$20.5K ₱1.2M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-22.73%

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

$111 ₱6,727

$83.7 COP 292.1K

32.40%

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

$33.34 ₱2,024

$9.45 COP 33.0K

252.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.38 ₱1,663

$24.11 COP 84.1K

13.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.81 ₱2,053

$25.31 COP 88.3K

33.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.39 ₱267

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-77.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ₱367

$4.10 COP 14.3K

47.56%

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

$149 ₱9,059

$312 COP 1.1M

-52.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,241 ₱257.5K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-29.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.07 ₱2,797

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-20.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.11 ₱1,646

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-16.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,651

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 ₱3,234

$109 COP 378.8K

-50.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱15.9K

$482 COP 1.7M

-45.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱10.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

-52.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 ₱36.4K

$837 COP 2.9M

-28.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱23.6K

$723 COP 2.5M

-46.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,329 ₱141.4K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-17.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$948 ₱57.5K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-22.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Siargao versus $482 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 Siargao versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $203 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 31%, 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 $1,162 per month in Siargao and $1,525 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 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 Siargao, where all-in costs run around $774, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.