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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $719 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,097 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,476 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% 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 23% lower, Island Garden City of Samal 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$1.31 ₱80.2

351.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$12.51 ₱765

161.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$4.47 ₱274

61.07%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$2.13 ₱131

-20.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.81 ₱49.69

35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.53 ₱32.45

35.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$1.45 ₱88.8

15.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$1.82 ₱111

70.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.21 ₱74.3

-12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$0.60 ₱36.60

108.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$0.69 ₱42.18

101.45%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$2.05 ₱126

10.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$5.88 ₱360

-26.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$3.25 ₱199

79.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$5.27 ₱323

67.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$2.89 ₱177

-22.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.13 ₱69.4

-4.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$2.29 ₱140

-33.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$1.27 ₱77.6

7.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$2.30 ₱141

-50.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$1.58 ₱96.4

-29.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$0.90 ₱55.3

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.50 ₱30.46

82.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$2.63 ₱161

-11.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$8.18 ₱500

36.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$1.24 ₱76.0

-4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$1.22 ₱74.5

94.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.28 ₱17.21

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$0.69 ₱42.16

108.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$0.09 ₱5.78

2022.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$2.17 ₱132

269.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$1.15 ₱70.1

-18.26%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$21.9K ₱1.3M

-18.35%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

28.97%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$100 ₱6,125

-16.14%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$34.22 ₱2,094

-71.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$36.41 ₱2,227

-33.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$34.49 ₱2,110

-24.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$4.36 ₱267

336.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$4.39 ₱268

-10.71%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$120 ₱7,321

156.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$4,354 ₱266.4K

35.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$46.40 ₱2,839

24.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$29.67 ₱1,815

7.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$76.4 ₱4,672

30.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$69.2 ₱4,235

54.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$262 ₱16.0K

85.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$176 ₱10.8K

109.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$595 ₱36.4K

38.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$402 ₱24.6K

78.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,083 ₱127.5K

40.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $262 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 $13.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $160 – 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 44% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,078 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 $13.00 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 19% 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 $719, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $719 versus $1,034 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.