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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $3,098 in Philipsburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $5,842 in Philipsburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $8,587 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

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$14.89 ANG 26.57

-59.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$73.5 ANG 131

-55.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$7.97 ANG 14.23

-6.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$4.43 ANG 7.90

-62.75%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$2.97 ANG 5.30

-63.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$3.60 ANG 6.42

-78.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$3.03 ANG 5.41

-43.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$5.11 ANG 9.12

-37.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$3.06 ANG 5.46

-65.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$3.18 ANG 5.68

-58.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.99 ANG 5.33

-55.18%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$6.58 ANG 11.74

-66.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$18.48 ANG 32.99

-76.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$16.83 ANG 30.04

-66.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$19.80 ANG 35.34

-56.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$5.98 ANG 10.67

-60.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$5.92 ANG 10.56

-81.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$9.35 ANG 16.68

-83.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$6.43 ANG 11.47

-78.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$3.93 ANG 7.02

-70.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$3.97 ANG 7.08

-70.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$4.43 ANG 7.90

-81.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.97 ANG 3.52

-56.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$7.78 ANG 13.89

-70.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$10.91 ANG 19.47

6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$3.32 ANG 5.93

-63.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.87 ANG 5.11

-13.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$1.47 ANG 2.62

-46.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$14.94 ANG 26.67

-90.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$4.85 ANG 8.66

-60.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.44 ANG 2.56

-29.86%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$222 ANG 397

-63.50%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$32.97 ANG 58.9

-71.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$69.2 ANG 123

-65.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$63.3 ANG 113

-58.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$12.75 ANG 22.76

-67.92%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$371 ANG 662

-15.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$11.1K ANG 19.9K

-45.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,970 ANG 3,517

-75.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,875 ANG 3,347

-80.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$5,726 ANG 10.2K

-85.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$5,589 ANG 9,976

-86.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$1,104 ANG 1,970

-50.10%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Philipsburg: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $1,970 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 100% 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 $540 – 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $4,646 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 184% 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 $1,028, than in Philipsburg at $3,098. 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.