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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $783 in Negros, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,238 in Negros, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,692 in Negros, rent included.

Medellin costs about 32% more than Negros, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Negros are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Negros 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.45 ₱213

71.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$13.51 ₱833

142.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.11 ₱192

131.51%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.63 ₱101

4.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.31 ₱19.03

254.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.42 ₱25.83

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.30 ₱80.5

28.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.09 ₱129

48.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.29 ₱141

-53.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.50 ₱92.6

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.16 ₱71.6

19.83%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.29 ₱142

-1.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$12.87 ₱794

-66.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.12 ₱316

14.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.63 ₱471

15.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.62 ₱223

-38.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.51 ₱93.1

-28.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.31 ₱204

-53.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.24 ₱138

-38.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.62 ₱162

-56.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.54 ₱157

-55.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.00 ₱61.6

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.85 ₱52.2

7.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.25 ₱201

-28.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.42 ₱396

73.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.19 ₱73.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.32 ₱143

2.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.28 ₱17.28

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.89 ₱54.9

61.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.25 ₱15.52

664.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.69 ₱166

198.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.10 ₱68.1

-14.55%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-40.39%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.1K ₱1.7M

-1.10%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$96.2 ₱5,933

-12.71%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$34.57 ₱2,132

-72.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$30.37 ₱1,873

-20.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$33.95 ₱2,094

-23.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.48 ₱277

325.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.82 ₱359

-32.65%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$233 ₱14.4K

31.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,910 ₱241.2K

51.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$45.71 ₱2,819

26.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$23.10 ₱1,425

37.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$75.6 ₱4,663

32.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$55.2 ₱3,405

94.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$266 ₱16.4K

83.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$179 ₱11.0K

105.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$582 ₱35.9K

41.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$394 ₱24.3K

81.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,145 ₱132.3K

36.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$245 ₱15.1K

122.25%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Negros: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 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 122% 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 – $190 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 32%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,175 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 27% 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 $783, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.