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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $788 in Negros, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,231 in Negros, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,674 in Negros, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Negros, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Negros are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Negros 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$3.54 ₱217

66.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$13.56 ₱832

143.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$3.05 ₱187

143.61%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.56 ₱95.9

5.77%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.33 ₱20.49

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.43 ₱26.24

81.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.36 ₱83.4

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.18 ₱134

45.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$2.20 ₱135

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.57 ₱96.3

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.11 ₱68.2

24.32%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.34 ₱144

-6.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$13.07 ₱802

-65.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$5.39 ₱331

7.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$7.49 ₱460

19.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$3.49 ₱214

-33.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.50 ₱92.1

-29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$3.33 ₱204

-54.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$2.27 ₱139

-40.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$2.58 ₱159

-56.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$2.53 ₱155

-53.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.93 ₱56.9

-3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.79 ₱48.63

13.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$3.24 ₱199

-31.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$6.43 ₱395

88.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.16 ₱71.5

2.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.34 ₱143

5.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.26 ₱15.77

226.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.86 ₱52.8

65.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.25 ₱15.47

680.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$2.60 ₱160

203.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.13 ₱69.6

-12.39%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$30.7K ₱1.9M

-42.72%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$27.5K ₱1.7M

-2.62%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$98.3 ₱6,036

-15.56%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$33.77 ₱2,074

-71.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$29.29 ₱1,798

-19.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$34.11 ₱2,094

-25.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$4.36 ₱267

338.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$5.88 ₱361

-32.82%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$235 ₱14.4K

34.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$3,884 ₱238.5K

53.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$46.07 ₱2,828

30.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$23.31 ₱1,431

36.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$75.1 ₱4,610

35.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$56.4 ₱3,464

90.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$265 ₱16.3K

79.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$176 ₱10.8K

112.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$587 ₱36.0K

44.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$397 ₱24.4K

81.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$2,112 ₱129.7K

54.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$921 ₱56.6K

56.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$240 ₱14.7K

160.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

91.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Negros: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $265 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 161% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Negros. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $241 in Negros – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 27%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,183 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $14.00 in Negros. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Negros, where all-in costs run around $788, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.