Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Philipsburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Philipsburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $3,108 in Philipsburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $5,697 in Philipsburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $8,287 in Philipsburg, rent included.

Medellin is about 67% cheaper than Philipsburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Philipsburg is 132% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$14.94 ANG 26.75

-60.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$73.9 ANG 132

-55.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.05 ANG 14.41

-10.56%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.31 ANG 7.72

-60.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$3.04 ANG 5.44

-63.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$3.78 ANG 6.76

-80.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.91 ANG 5.21

-42.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.92 ANG 8.81

-36.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.93 ANG 5.24

-63.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$3.04 ANG 5.44

-58.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.05 ANG 5.46

-54.43%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$6.37 ANG 11.41

-64.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$18.65 ANG 33.38

-76.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$16.98 ANG 30.39

-65.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$19.82 ANG 35.48

-55.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$6.08 ANG 10.89

-63.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$6.06 ANG 10.85

-82.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$9.05 ANG 16.20

-83.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$6.19 ANG 11.08

-77.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$4.09 ANG 7.32

-72.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$4.11 ANG 7.35

-72.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$4.42 ANG 7.90

-80.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.95 ANG 3.49

-53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$7.97 ANG 14.27

-70.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.86 ANG 19.44

2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$3.28 ANG 5.86

-63.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.88 ANG 5.16

-17.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.46 ANG 2.60

-45.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$14.75 ANG 26.41

-90.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$4.88 ANG 8.74

-60.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.37 ANG 2.44

-31.39%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$224 ANG 402

-62.58%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$32.93 ANG 59.0

-70.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$71.0 ANG 127

-65.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$62.5 ANG 112

-58.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$13.22 ANG 23.66

-70.35%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$369 ANG 661

-17.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$11.3K ANG 20.3K

-47.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,987 ANG 3,557

-75.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,875 ANG 3,356

-80.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$5,720 ANG 10.2K

-85.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$5,597 ANG 10.0K

-87.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,955 ANG 5,289

-1.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,102 ANG 1,973

-50.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.75

133.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Philipsburg: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $1,987 in Philipsburg. 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 102% higher in Philipsburg, 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 $74.0 in Philipsburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $537 – making Medellin 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 Philipsburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Philipsburg is pricier by about 201%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $4,662 in Philipsburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $74.0 in Philipsburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 183% more in Philipsburg, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Philipsburg at $3,108. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Philipsburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Philipsburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.