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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $707 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,099 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,491 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Medellin costs about 42% 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 25% lower, Island Garden City of Samal 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 19.1K

$1.36 ₱83.0

334.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 106.5K

$12.36 ₱752

166.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 24.0K

$4.57 ₱278

62.58%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,343

$2.03 ₱124

-18.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,559

$0.86 ₱52.4

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,523

$0.52 ₱31.76

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,553

$1.38 ₱84.2

24.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$1.80 ₱109

76.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,565

$1.26 ₱76.7

-12.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,066

$0.55 ₱33.64

129.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,463

$0.73 ₱44.62

89.04%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,038

$2.08 ₱127

4.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.5K

$5.87 ₱357

-23.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.7K

$3.25 ₱198

78.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 29.0K

$5.17 ₱315

73.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,499

$2.98 ₱181

-22.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,440

$1.18 ₱72.1

-10.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,899

$2.37 ₱144

-35.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,381

$1.26 ₱76.9

7.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,645

$2.29 ₱140

-50.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,785

$1.63 ₱99.3

-28.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,912

$0.91 ₱55.2

-1.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,897

$0.46 ₱27.89

95.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,218

$2.68 ₱163

-16.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 39.2K

$8.02 ₱488

51.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,841

$1.24 ₱75.7

-4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,020

$1.21 ₱73.4

104.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,758

$0.28 ₱17.16

203.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 134.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,575

$0.68 ₱41.53

108.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,302

$0.09 ₱5.19

2066.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.5K

$2.14 ₱130

268.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,200

$1.10 ₱66.7

-10.00%

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

$17.6K COP 56.9M

$22.2K ₱1.4M

-20.83%

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

$26.8K COP 86.6M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

26.72%

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

$83.0 COP 268.2K

$99.0 ₱6,026

-16.13%

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

$9.70 COP 31.3K

$33.65 ₱2,049

-71.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 76.0K

$36.59 ₱2,228

-35.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 81.6K

$33.85 ₱2,061

-25.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 61.7K

$4.39 ₱267

335.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.8K

$4.46 ₱271

-11.43%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$118 ₱7,178

167.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.3M

$4,260 ₱259.4K

40.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 193.8K

$44.98 ₱2,738

33.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 102.8K

$29.81 ₱1,815

6.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 328.5K

$77.4 ₱4,715

31.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 347.2K

$68.6 ₱4,176

56.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$267 ₱16.2K

78.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$180 ₱10.9K

107.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$598 ₱36.4K

41.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$388 ₱23.6K

85.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.5M

$2,582 ₱157.2K

26.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.7M

$857 ₱52.2K

68.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $267 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: $193 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 42% 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,060 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 20% 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 $707, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $707 versus $1,003 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.