Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Panama City, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,409 in Panama City, FL, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Panama City, FL, United States
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Panama City, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,409
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Panama City, FL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Panama City, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $2,409 in Panama City, FL, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Panama City, FL $2,409

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $3,287 in Panama City, FL, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Panama City, FL $3,287

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $4,165 in Panama City, FL, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Panama City, FL $4,165

Medellin is about 32% cheaper than Panama City, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Panama City, FL sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Panama City, FL by 77%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Panama City, FL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.6K
$18.74 $18.74
-56.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.9K
$54.0 $54.0
-12.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$12.11 $12.11
-21.55%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,540
$5.60 $5.60
-46.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,693
$2.89 $2.89
-37.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,469
$1.70 $1.70
-17.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.0K
$5.10 $5.10
-37.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.2K
$7.12 $7.12
-19.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Panama City, FL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,778
$0.90 $0.90
67.78%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,524
$3.46 $3.46
-31.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,606
$2.66 $2.66
-33.46%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,146
$3.30 $3.30
-12.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.2K
$10.78 $10.78
-5.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.2K
$11.61 $11.61
-14.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.3K
$14.64 $14.64
-4.44%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.6K
$4.10 $4.10
-3.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,911
$1.49 $1.49
4.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,907
$2.73 $2.73
-20.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,910
$4.30 $4.30
-49.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,210
$3.11 $3.11
-36.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,029
$2.84 $2.84
-44.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,625
$2.09 $2.09
-44.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,934
$2.22 $2.22
-44.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$9.31 $9.31
-57.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.3K
$12.15 $12.15
12.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,252
$1.70 $1.70
-2.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,145
$3.86 $3.86
-41.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Panama City, FL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,696
$1.46 $1.46
-19.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 244.8K
$35.52 $35.52
117.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,013
$2.55 $2.55
-50.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,480
$1.51 $1.51
35.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.1K
$26.17 $26.17
-67.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,262
$0.98 $0.98
37.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.8M
$27.5K $27.5K
23.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.7M
$25.9K $25.9K
33.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Panama City, FL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 536.8K
$169 $169
0.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.9K
$44.38 $44.38
-69.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.8K
$59.5 $59.5
-52.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Panama City, FL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 138.3K
$24.35 $24.35
79.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.9K
$12.87 $12.87
-46.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Panama City, FL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$618 $618
28.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.8M
$13.9K $13.9K
-34.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Panama City, FL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 268.1K
$48.26 $48.26
75.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 183.4K
$40.43 $40.43
43.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 427.1K
$84.5 $84.5
59.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 309.7K
$95.9 $95.9
2.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Panama City, FL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$921 $921
31.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$1,248 $1,248
-48.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$1,673 $1,673
21.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$1,662 $1,662
-39.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.2M
$3,269 $3,269
27.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$2,694 $2,694
-29.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Panama City, FL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$3,980 $3,980
-83.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.54
67.28%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Panama City, FL: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Panama City, FL
$1.2K 94.5% $606
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Panama City, FL
$354 19.2% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Panama City, FL
$273 29.3% $62
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Panama City, FL
$312 83.7% $142
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Panama City, FL
$121 28.4% $48
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Panama City, FL
$51 45% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Panama City, FL
$50 12.9% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $921 in Panama City, FL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Panama City, FL are about 6.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $54 in Panama City, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $354 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Panama City, FL
🕒 Local time
08:05 8:05 AM
08:05 8:05 AM
Same time as Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
36,484
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,531 COP (10,000 COP = 2.83 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Panama City, FL 2,860 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Panama City, FL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Panama City, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Panama City, FL?
Yes – Panama City, FL is pricier by about 47%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $3,614 in Panama City, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Panama City, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $921 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Panama City, FL?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $54 in Panama City, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Panama City, FL?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $2,409 in Panama City, FL. That makes Medellin about 32% cheaper.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Panama City, FL?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $2,409 in Panama City, FL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Panama City, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?