Cost of Living Comparison Between General Santos and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between General Santos and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $701 in General Santos versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,078 in General Santos versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,455 in General Santos versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in General Santos costs roughly 31% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: General Santos 48% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ₱275

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-25.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.55 ₱650

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-67.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.84 ₱175

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-59.94%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ₱127

$1.71 COP 6,115

20.47%

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

$0.36 ₱21.95

$1.10 COP 3,924

-67.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱18.33

$0.78 COP 2,781

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ₱69.5

$1.68 COP 5,997

-32.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₱56.2

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-70.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 ₱86.2

$1.09 COP 3,906

28.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ₱57.3

$1.26 COP 4,508

-26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₱52.3

$1.38 COP 4,922

-38.41%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱127

$2.19 COP 7,827

-5.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 ₱379

$4.40 COP 15.7K

39.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ₱185

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-46.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.38 ₱394

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-28.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₱183

$2.34 COP 8,349

26.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ₱70.6

$1.06 COP 3,777

7.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ₱142

$1.50 COP 5,374

53.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₱26.29

$1.38 COP 4,924

-68.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ₱56.9

$1.15 COP 4,111

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 ₱193

$1.16 COP 4,155

170.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₱63.7

$0.89 COP 3,182

15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₱36.94

$0.84 COP 2,997

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 ₱134

$2.28 COP 8,145

-4.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₱504

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-23.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₱67.0

$1.20 COP 4,284

-9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$2.47 COP 8,824

-39.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₱20.82

$0.86 COP 3,056

-60.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.93 ₱550

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-78.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.6

$1.47 COP 5,264

-44.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 ₱9.83

$1.96 COP 7,009

-91.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₱81.0

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-83.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$0.95 COP 3,409

15.79%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

13.51%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-22.58%

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

$74.6 ₱4,601

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-9.28%

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

$34.23 ₱2,111

$9.50 COP 33.9K

260.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.19 ₱2,231

$24.23 COP 86.5K

49.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.55 ₱2,069

$25.89 COP 92.4K

29.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.75 ₱108

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-90.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 ₱192

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-20.87%

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

$58.8 ₱3,628

$309 COP 1.1M

-80.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,404 ₱86.5K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-76.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.99 ₱2,774

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-23.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.05 ₱990

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-50.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 ₱4,293

$103 COP 366.4K

-32.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 ₱4,234

$108 COP 387.2K

-36.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₱16.7K

$476 COP 1.7M

-43.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

-52.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₱36.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

-30.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

-46.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

13.43

-51.60%

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

Last update for General Santos: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in General Santos and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in General Santos vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $188 per month, with General Santos cheaper across the board.

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

General Santos vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

General Santos wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making General Santos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,052 in General Santos and $1,519 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $271 in General Santos versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in General Santos – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $701 per month in General Santos versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $701 in General Santos versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in General Santos but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes General Santos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but General Santos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $701 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes General Santos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, General Santos and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find General Santos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.