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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Medellin costs about 39% more than Island Garden City of Samal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Island Garden City of Samal are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Island Garden City of Samal 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.31 ₱79.7

354.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$12.47 ₱757

167.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.62 ₱281

56.49%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.10 ₱128

-22.38%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.86 ₱52.5

26.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.53 ₱31.97

37.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.44 ₱87.7

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.75 ₱107

84.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.27 ₱76.9

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.56 ₱33.90

130.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.73 ₱44.25

80.82%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.05 ₱125

10.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.16 ₱374

-29.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.23 ₱196

82.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.07 ₱308

69.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.00 ₱182

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.19 ₱72.0

-10.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.40 ₱146

-36.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.21 ₱73.5

17.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.30 ₱140

-49.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.57 ₱95.5

-25.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.86 ₱52.3

3.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.46 ₱28.21

95.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.72 ₱165

-17.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.05 ₱489

37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.29 ₱78.5

-11.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.22 ₱73.9

95.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.26 ₱15.75

223.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.74 ₱45.17

90.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.09 ₱5.32

2011.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.15 ₱130

260.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.13 ₱68.7

-10.62%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.4K ₱1.4M

-21.50%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

27.38%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$98.6 ₱5,988

-15.15%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$34.44 ₱2,091

-72.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$35.79 ₱2,173

-32.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$34.45 ₱2,092

-26.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.41 ₱268

334.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.49 ₱273

-8.69%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$120 ₱7,290

159.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,293 ₱260.7K

39.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$46.46 ₱2,821

24.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$30.34 ₱1,842

7.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$78.1 ₱4,744

27.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$68.5 ₱4,160

58.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$269 ₱16.3K

79.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$177 ₱10.7K

114.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$598 ₱36.3K

40.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$400 ₱24.3K

80.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,192 ₱133.1K

29.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$964 ₱58.5K

26.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.56

40.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $269 in Island Garden City of Samal. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $161 – 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

Medellin vs Island Garden City of Samal: 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,095 in Island Garden City of Samal. 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $12.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. 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.