Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Clark Freeport Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Clark Freeport

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $728 in Clark Freeport.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $1,101 in Clark Freeport.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $1,474 in Clark Freeport.

Living in Medellin is roughly 125% more expensive than in Clark Freeport, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Clark Freeport is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.0K

$3.66 ₱229

119.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.9K

$16.99 ₱1,059

184.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.3K

$2.85 ₱178

230.53%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,120

$2.15 ₱134

36.74%

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

$1.86 COP 5,786

$0.63 ₱39.27

195.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,519

$0.31 ₱19.56

370.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,969

$1.09 ₱67.7

194.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$1.84 ₱115

210.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,467

$1.67 ₱104

-13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,454

$1.11 ₱69.2

116.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,274

$0.96 ₱59.6

77.08%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,975

$1.87 ₱116

54.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$5.35 ₱334

88.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.0K

$4.22 ₱263

136.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.1K

$6.94 ₱433

104.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$2.39 ₱149

66.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,921

$1.54 ₱96.2

2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,682

$2.39 ₱149

-10.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,141

$1.18 ₱73.7

94.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,223

$2.04 ₱127

-1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,687

$2.01 ₱125

-24.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,734

$0.82 ₱51.1

46.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,981

$0.56 ₱34.82

128.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$2.92 ₱182

31.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$7.82 ₱487

79.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,302

$0.96 ₱60.0

78.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,515

$2.03 ₱126

34.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,868

$0.22 ₱13.73

468.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.9K

$11.16 ₱696

598.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,052

$0.83 ₱52.0

57.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,739

$0.25 ₱15.69

768.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.8K

$1.90 ₱118

336.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,209

$1.16 ₱72.5

17.24%

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

$27.5K COP 85.3M

$21.9K ₱1.4M

25.63%

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

$36.5K COP 113.4M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

91.34%

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

$169 COP 523.8K

$125 ₱7,792

35.03%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$14.91 ₱930

-8.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.9K

$25.01 ₱1,560

13.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.9K

$32.62 ₱2,034

40.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

$4.84 ₱302

255.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$5.24 ₱327

26.91%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$133 ₱8,286

504.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

$8,039 ₱501.3K

14.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 271.2K

$32.86 ₱2,049

165.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.3K

$19.92 ₱1,242

198.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 431.3K

$71.4 ₱4,452

94.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.8K

$55.2 ₱3,442

84.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$270 ₱16.8K

296.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$170 ₱10.6K

284.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$502 ₱31.3K

283.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$356 ₱22.2K

194.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

$2,556 ₱159.4K

61.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$1,054 ₱65.7K

61.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$326 ₱20.3K

101.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Clark Freeport: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $270 in Clark Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 101% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $17.00 in Clark Freeport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $178 per month, with Clark Freeport 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

Medellin vs Clark Freeport: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Clark Freeport differ by about 125% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $728 including rent). Clark Freeport is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 101% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $270 in Clark Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Clark Freeport – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $728 in Clark Freeport – a 125% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $728 in Clark Freeport versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Clark Freeport but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Clark Freeport the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Clark Freeport 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 Clark Freeport gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.