Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $707 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,099 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,491 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Island Garden City of Samal is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Island Garden City of Samal and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Island Garden City of Samal 47% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.36 ₱83.0

$5.91 COP 19.1K

-76.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.36 ₱752

$32.96 COP 106.5K

-62.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 ₱278

$7.43 COP 24.0K

-38.49%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ₱124

$1.65 COP 5,343

23.03%

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

$0.86 ₱52.4

$1.10 COP 3,559

-21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱31.76

$0.78 COP 2,523

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₱84.2

$1.72 COP 5,553

-19.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₱109

$3.18 COP 10.3K

-43.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱76.7

$1.10 COP 3,565

14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₱33.64

$1.26 COP 4,066

-56.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₱44.62

$1.38 COP 4,463

-47.10%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱127

$2.18 COP 7,038

-4.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.87 ₱357

$4.49 COP 14.5K

30.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ₱198

$5.79 COP 18.7K

-43.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 ₱315

$8.97 COP 29.0K

-42.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱181

$2.32 COP 7,499

28.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ₱72.1

$1.06 COP 3,440

11.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 ₱144

$1.52 COP 4,899

55.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 ₱76.9

$1.36 COP 4,381

-7.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 ₱140

$1.13 COP 3,645

102.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 ₱99.3

$1.17 COP 3,785

39.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ₱55.2

$0.90 COP 2,912

1.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₱27.89

$0.90 COP 2,897

-48.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 ₱163

$2.23 COP 7,218

20.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 ₱488

$12.12 COP 39.2K

-33.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₱75.7

$1.19 COP 3,841

4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱73.4

$2.48 COP 8,020

-51.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.16

$0.85 COP 2,758

-67.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 134.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₱41.53

$1.42 COP 4,575

-52.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.09 ₱5.19

$1.95 COP 6,302

-95.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₱130

$7.89 COP 25.5K

-72.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱66.7

$0.99 COP 3,200

11.11%

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

$22.2K ₱1.4M

$17.6K COP 56.9M

26.31%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$26.8K COP 86.6M

-21.09%

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

$99.0 ₱6,026

$83.0 COP 268.2K

19.24%

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

$33.65 ₱2,049

$9.70 COP 31.3K

246.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.59 ₱2,228

$23.52 COP 76.0K

55.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.85 ₱2,061

$25.26 COP 81.6K

34.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.39 ₱267

$19.10 COP 61.7K

-77.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 ₱271

$3.95 COP 12.8K

12.91%

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

$118 ₱7,178

$316 COP 1.0M

-62.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,260 ₱259.4K

$5,975 COP 19.3M

-28.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.98 ₱2,738

$60.0 COP 193.8K

-25.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.81 ₱1,815

$31.82 COP 102.8K

-6.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 ₱4,715

$102 COP 328.5K

-23.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.6 ₱4,176

$107 COP 347.2K

-36.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₱16.2K

$475 COP 1.5M

-43.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₱10.9K

$374 COP 1.2M

-51.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 ₱36.4K

$849 COP 2.7M

-29.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₱23.6K

$719 COP 2.3M

-46.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,582 ₱157.2K

$3,265 COP 10.5M

-20.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$857 ₱52.2K

$1,441 COP 4.7M

-40.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

13.43

-28.82%

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

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $475 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 $12.00 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $160 vs $193 – making Island Garden City of Samal 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

Island Garden City of Samal vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 42% more than Island Garden City of Samal, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,060 per month in Island Garden City of Samal and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Island Garden City of Samal, 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 $12.00 in Island Garden City of Samal and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $707, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Island Garden City of Samal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Island Garden City of Samal costs $707 versus $1,003 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Island Garden City of Samal. 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.