Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pampanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pampanga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $663 in Pampanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,114 in Pampanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,566 in Pampanga, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Pampanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Pampanga are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Pampanga 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.15 ₱194

87.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$17.78 ₱1,097

84.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.14 ₱193

129.30%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.71 ₱167

-37.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.43 ₱26.30

155.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.38 ₱23.64

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.19 ₱73.6

40.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.34 ₱144

32.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.44 ₱88.9

-26.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.14 ₱70.2

9.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.85 ₱52.3

63.53%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.45 ₱89.5

55.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.34 ₱268

-0.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.94 ₱181

98.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.10 ₱438

24.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.16 ₱134

3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.09 ₱67.2

-0.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.31 ₱143

-33.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.92 ₱56.9

48.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.69 ₱105

-33.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.79 ₱110

-37.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.96 ₱59.2

-11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.61 ₱37.56

49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.18 ₱135

6.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.24 ₱385

78.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.78 ₱48.39

52.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.39 ₱86.0

70.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.29 ₱17.92

172.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.52 ₱711

257.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.77 ₱47.20

87.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.29 ₱18.00

558.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.07 ₱128

287.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.16 ₱71.5

-18.97%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$17.8K ₱1.1M

0.96%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$17.9K ₱1.1M

50.03%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$129 ₱7,980

-35.11%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$26.24 ₱1,618

-63.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$26.33 ₱1,624

-8.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$50.6 ₱3,121

-48.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.36 ₱269

336.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.34 ₱268

-9.68%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$126 ₱7,800

142.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,792 ₱110.5K

230.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$29.11 ₱1,796

98.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$26.13 ₱1,612

21.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$60.4 ₱3,726

65.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$42.61 ₱2,628

151.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$153 ₱9,407

219.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$95.8 ₱5,910

284.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$595 ₱36.7K

38.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$414 ₱25.5K

73.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,387 ₱147.2K

22.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,321 ₱81.5K

6.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$299 ₱18.5K

82.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.17

117.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pampanga: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $153 in Pampanga. 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 82% 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 $18.00 in Pampanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $154 – making Pampanga 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 Pampanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $995 in Pampanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pampanga, 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 $18.00 in Pampanga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $663 in Pampanga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pampanga, where all-in costs run around $663, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Pampanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pampanga – 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 Pampanga. 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.