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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $695 in Pampanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,052 in Pampanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,409 in Pampanga, rent included.

Medellin costs about 143% more than Pampanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Pampanga is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$2.79 ₱172

182.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$16.37 ₱1,009

172.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$3.71 ₱229

150.40%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.90 ₱117

52.63%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.39 ₱24.15

364.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.40 ₱24.57

287.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.08 ₱66.7

200.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.02 ₱124

191.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.47 ₱90.6

-6.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.14 ₱70.0

114.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$0.85 ₱52.5

77.65%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.59 ₱98.2

74.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$4.13 ₱255

119.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$2.87 ₱177

271.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$6.23 ₱384

134.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.98 ₱122

100.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.95 ₱58.4

45.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.13 ₱132

7.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.01 ₱62.1

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.43 ₱88.1

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.54 ₱95.2

5.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.89 ₱55.1

21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.55 ₱34.05

127.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.01 ₱124

100.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$6.06 ₱374

122.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$0.67 ₱41.23

138.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.26 ₱77.8

138.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.27 ₱16.73

337.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$11.53 ₱711

593.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.80 ₱49.25

101.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.23 ₱14.09

826.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$1.97 ₱122

332.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.07 ₱65.9

26.17%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

47.64%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$17.7K ₱1.1M

101.39%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$132 ₱8,157

14.40%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$15.92 ₱981

-17.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$28.89 ₱1,781

11.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$30.21 ₱1,863

53.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$4.18 ₱258

312.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$5.08 ₱313

26.57%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$136 ₱8,412

511.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$8,160 ₱503.0K

8.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$26.30 ₱1,621

239.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$19.58 ₱1,207

182.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$68.5 ₱4,224

99.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$38.56 ₱2,377

183.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$269 ₱16.6K

254.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$175 ₱10.8K

280.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$514 ₱31.7K

293.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$367 ₱22.6K

212.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$2,425 ₱149.5K

52.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,027 ₱63.3K

54.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$303 ₱18.7K

106.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

6.75

54.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Pampanga: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $269 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 106% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Pampanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $146 – 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 143%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,042 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $16.00 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $695 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 $695, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.