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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $3,160 in Philipsburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $5,809 in Philipsburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $8,458 in Philipsburg, rent included.

Medellin is about 68% cheaper than Philipsburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Philipsburg is 137% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$15.11 ANG 26.98

-60.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$76.0 ANG 136

-56.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.22 ANG 14.68

-9.61%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$4.25 ANG 7.58

-61.18%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.93 ANG 5.22

-62.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$3.72 ANG 6.64

-79.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.97 ANG 5.30

-42.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.97 ANG 8.88

-36.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.93 ANG 5.23

-62.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.19 ANG 5.69

-60.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.94 ANG 5.26

-53.06%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$6.33 ANG 11.31

-65.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$18.26 ANG 32.59

-75.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$16.79 ANG 29.98

-65.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$19.40 ANG 34.62

-53.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$5.90 ANG 10.54

-60.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$6.12 ANG 10.92

-82.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$9.09 ANG 16.22

-83.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$6.45 ANG 11.52

-78.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$4.08 ANG 7.28

-72.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$3.92 ANG 7.00

-70.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$4.46 ANG 7.97

-79.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.96 ANG 3.49

-54.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$8.18 ANG 14.61

-72.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$10.85 ANG 19.37

11.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$3.36 ANG 6.00

-64.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.81 ANG 5.01

-11.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.52 ANG 2.71

-44.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$15.15 ANG 27.04

-90.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$4.86 ANG 8.67

-59.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.42 ANG 2.53

-30.28%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$229 ANG 410

-63.83%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$32.15 ANG 57.4

-69.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$71.3 ANG 127

-67.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$61.5 ANG 110

-58.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$13.24 ANG 23.63

-70.17%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$380 ANG 679

-16.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$11.2K ANG 19.9K

-46.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,931 ANG 3,447

-75.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,876 ANG 3,348

-80.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$5,653 ANG 10.1K

-84.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$5,752 ANG 10.3K

-87.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,115 ANG 1,991

-44.02%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Philipsburg: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $1,931 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 79% 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 $76.0 in Philipsburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $536 – 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 215%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $4,740 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 $76.0 in Philipsburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 177% 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 $1,003, than in Philipsburg at $3,160. 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.