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 $730 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,115 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,500 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Island Garden City of Samal is about 28% 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 46% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.31 ₱79.7

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-77.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.47 ₱757

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-62.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 ₱281

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-36.10%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ₱128

$1.63 COP 5,687

28.83%

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

$0.86 ₱52.5

$1.09 COP 3,821

-21.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱31.97

$0.73 COP 2,548

-27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₱87.7

$1.74 COP 6,065

-17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱107

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-45.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱76.9

$1.05 COP 3,662

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₱33.90

$1.29 COP 4,515

-56.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₱44.25

$1.32 COP 4,617

-44.70%

Eggs

$2.05 ₱125

$2.27 COP 7,927

-9.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 ₱374

$4.35 COP 15.2K

41.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 ₱196

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-45.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 ₱308

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-41.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ₱182

$2.25 COP 7,844

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 ₱72.0

$1.07 COP 3,733

11.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ₱146

$1.52 COP 5,322

57.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ₱73.5

$1.42 COP 4,964

-14.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱140

$1.17 COP 4,084

96.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 ₱95.5

$1.17 COP 4,077

34.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ₱52.3

$0.89 COP 3,096

-3.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₱28.21

$0.90 COP 3,146

-48.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 ₱165

$2.25 COP 7,837

20.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 ₱489

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱78.5

$1.14 COP 3,977

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₱73.9

$2.38 COP 8,301

-48.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.75

$0.84 COP 2,916

-69.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱45.17

$1.41 COP 4,912

-47.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.09 ₱5.32

$1.90 COP 6,634

-95.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 ₱130

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-72.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱68.7

$1.01 COP 3,509

11.88%

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

$22.4K ₱1.4M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

27.38%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-21.50%

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

$98.6 ₱5,988

$83.7 COP 292.1K

17.85%

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

$34.44 ₱2,091

$9.45 COP 33.0K

264.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,173

$24.11 COP 84.1K

48.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.45 ₱2,092

$25.31 COP 88.3K

36.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.41 ₱268

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-76.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 ₱273

$4.10 COP 14.3K

9.51%

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

$120 ₱7,290

$312 COP 1.1M

-61.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 ₱260.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-28.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.46 ₱2,821

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-19.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.34 ₱1,842

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-6.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 ₱4,744

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-21.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 ₱4,160

$109 COP 378.8K

-36.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

-44.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱10.7K

$379 COP 1.3M

-53.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 ₱36.3K

$837 COP 2.9M

-28.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₱24.3K

$723 COP 2.5M

-44.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,192 ₱133.1K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-22.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$964 ₱58.5K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-21.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $269 in Island Garden City of Samal 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 $12.00 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $161 vs $190 – 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 39% 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 $1,095 per month in Island Garden City of Samal 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 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 18% 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 $730, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $730 versus $1,017 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.