Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Negros Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Negros

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $745 in Negros, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,129 in Negros, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,513 in Negros, rent included.

Medellin costs about 120% more than Negros, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Negros is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.03 ₱190

165.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$11.79 ₱739

309.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$2.87 ₱180

228.22%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$1.46 ₱91.4

101.37%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$0.28 ₱17.53

564.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$0.42 ₱26.29

247.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

$1.18 ₱74.0

172.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.06 ₱129

177.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$1.97 ₱124

-26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$1.16 ₱72.5

106.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$1.03 ₱64.5

65.05%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$2.02 ₱127

43.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$10.15 ₱636

-0.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.63 ₱290

115.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.78 ₱488

82.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.45 ₱216

15.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$1.41 ₱88.4

12.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$2.43 ₱152

-11.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$1.56 ₱97.8

47.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$2.46 ₱154

-18.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$1.94 ₱121

-22.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$1.19 ₱74.5

0.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$0.63 ₱39.55

103.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.02 ₱189

27.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$6.14 ₱385

128.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

$1.23 ₱77.3

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

$1.76 ₱110

55.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

$0.25 ₱15.50

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

$11.41 ₱716

582.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$0.81 ₱50.5

61.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

$0.23 ₱14.42

843.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$1.96 ₱123

322.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$1.32 ₱82.7

3.03%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

28.19%

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

86.87%

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

$169 COP 519.5K

$120 ₱7,521

40.66%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$15.23 ₱955

-10.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$27.87 ₱1,748

1.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

$31.50 ₱1,975

45.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$4.68 ₱293

267.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.63 ₱353

18.12%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$131 ₱8,225

512.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$8,011 ₱502.3K

14.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$32.67 ₱2,049

167.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

$19.51 ₱1,223

204.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$78.0 ₱4,889

78.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

$56.2 ₱3,524

81.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$266 ₱16.7K

302.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$173 ₱10.8K

277.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$495 ₱31.1K

288.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$355 ₱22.3K

194.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,619 ₱164.2K

57.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,053 ₱66.0K

61.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$244 ₱15.3K

168.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

56.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Negros: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $266 in Negros. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 169% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Negros. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $209 – making Negros 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 Negros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 120%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,117 in Negros. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Negros, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $12.00 in Negros. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $745 in Negros. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Negros, where all-in costs run around $745, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Negros it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Negros – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Negros. 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.