Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacloban and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacloban and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $834 per month in Tacloban vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,187 per month in Tacloban vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,541 per month in Tacloban vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Tacloban is about 18% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Tacloban and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tacloban 38% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ₱273

$5.93 COP 19.1K

-25.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.41 ₱1,076

$33.12 COP 106.6K

-47.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.59 ₱160

$7.12 COP 22.9K

-63.62%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱164

$1.71 COP 5,487

54.97%

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

$0.77 ₱47.70

$1.05 COP 3,374

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.66

$0.72 COP 2,324

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱98.4

$1.72 COP 5,531

-7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₱135

$3.17 COP 10.2K

-31.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.06 COP 3,426

112.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.5

$1.31 COP 4,215

14.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱58.5

$1.33 COP 4,279

-28.57%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱143

$2.28 COP 7,338

1.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 ₱789

$4.42 COP 14.2K

188.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 ₱288

$5.92 COP 19.0K

-21.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 ₱473

$8.64 COP 27.8K

-11.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 ₱220

$2.34 COP 7,545

52.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ₱75.3

$1.10 COP 3,546

10.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 ₱212

$1.47 COP 4,724

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 ₱111

$1.38 COP 4,439

29.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ₱162

$1.17 COP 3,774

123.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 ₱159

$1.17 COP 3,765

119.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱62.1

$0.90 COP 2,905

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₱52.4

$0.84 COP 2,708

1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.33 COP 7,490

-9.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 ₱395

$11.92 COP 38.3K

-46.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.8

$1.15 COP 3,693

5.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₱141

$2.42 COP 7,791

-5.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₱12.87

$0.84 COP 2,702

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱51.3

$1.41 COP 4,541

-41.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.14 ₱8.94

$1.91 COP 6,160

-92.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₱169

$7.83 COP 25.2K

-65.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.3

$0.94 COP 3,037

22.34%

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

$29.6K ₱1.8M

$17.8K COP 57.3M

66.39%

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

$27.4K ₱1.7M

$27.1K COP 87.1M

1.15%

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

$96.1 ₱5,941

$83.3 COP 267.9K

15.43%

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

$34.12 ₱2,109

$9.66 COP 31.1K

253.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.34 ₱1,875

$24.22 COP 77.9K

25.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.93 ₱2,098

$25.22 COP 81.2K

34.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.45 ₱275

$19.33 COP 62.2K

-76.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 ₱363

$4.07 COP 13.1K

44.23%

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

$229 ₱14.1K

$307 COP 986.5K

-25.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,915 ₱242.0K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

-34.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.09 ₱2,849

$60.0 COP 192.9K

-23.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.35 ₱1,444

$32.65 COP 105.1K

-28.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ₱4,594

$101 COP 325.2K

-26.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 ₱3,492

$108 COP 347.6K

-47.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 ₱15.5K

$476 COP 1.5M

-47.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 ₱13.1K

$379 COP 1.2M

-44.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 ₱50.3K

$816 COP 2.6M

-0.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ₱14.7K

$707 COP 2.3M

-66.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₱150.3K

$3,190 COP 10.3M

-23.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$989 ₱61.1K

$1,446 COP 4.7M

-31.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 ₱21.9K

$622 COP 2.0M

-43.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-40.43%

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

Last update for Tacloban: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $251 in Tacloban versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 76% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Tacloban versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Tacloban vs $192 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

Tacloban vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,251 per month in Tacloban and $1,527 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tacloban, 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 $17.00 in Tacloban 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 22% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tacloban, where all-in costs run around $834, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Tacloban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tacloban – 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 Tacloban. 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.