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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $696 in General Santos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,087 in General Santos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,478 in General Santos.

Living in Medellin is roughly 48% more expensive than in General Santos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, General Santos 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.37 ₱269

40.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$10.84 ₱667

200.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$2.92 ₱180

151.37%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.12 ₱131

-18.87%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.33 ₱20.18

218.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.32 ₱19.77

140.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.17 ₱72.0

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$0.85 ₱52.4

272.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.39 ₱85.8

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.87 ₱53.5

49.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.93 ₱57.5

50.54%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.01 ₱124

7.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.06 ₱373

-27.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.93 ₱181

100.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.38 ₱393

35.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.88 ₱177

-20.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.17 ₱72.2

-5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$2.41 ₱149

-36.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.43 ₱26.34

213.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.90 ₱55.5

25.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.13 ₱193

-63.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.07 ₱66.0

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.56 ₱34.67

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.18 ₱134

7.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.96 ₱490

55.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.09 ₱67.0

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.51 ₱92.7

64.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.37 ₱22.57

127.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$8.70 ₱536

366.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.82 ₱50.3

73.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.15 ₱9.22

1180.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.31 ₱80.4

484.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.13 ₱69.8

-12.39%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

-11.63%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

26.14%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$74.0 ₱4,553

9.28%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$34.10 ₱2,100

-70.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$36.35 ₱2,238

-33.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$34.19 ₱2,105

-26.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$1.81 ₱111

958.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.15 ₱194

26.35%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$58.1 ₱3,577

425.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,392 ₱85.7K

335.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.43 ₱2,797

27.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$15.62 ₱962

106.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$71.8 ₱4,422

40.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$68.0 ₱4,189

58.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$265 ₱16.3K

80.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$174 ₱10.7K

115.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$584 ₱36.0K

44.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$396 ₱24.4K

84.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.5

106.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for General Santos: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $265 in General Santos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $11.00 in General Santos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $164 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

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

General Santos wins on cost – living expenses run 48% 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 $1,546 in Medellin and $1,045 in General Santos 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: $477 in Medellin versus $265 in General Santos. 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 $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $696 in General Santos – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $696 in General Santos versus $1,031 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 $696 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes General Santos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and General Santos 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 48% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.