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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,125 in Philipsburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $6,156 in Philipsburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $9,187 in Philipsburg, rent included.

Medellin is about 46% cheaper than Philipsburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Philipsburg sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Philipsburg by 128%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$15.29 ANG 27.30

-47.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$70.4 ANG 126

-31.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$8.31 ANG 14.82

19.01%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.23 ANG 7.55

-26.00%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.82 ANG 5.03

-32.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$3.94 ANG 7.03

-61.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.96 ANG 5.28

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$6.42 ANG 11.47

-10.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.93 ANG 5.23

-50.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.64 ANG 4.70

-5.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.51 ANG 4.48

-29.48%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$6.49 ANG 11.59

-54.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$18.68 ANG 33.34

-46.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$14.20 ANG 25.34

-28.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.91 ANG 26.62

-4.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$5.09 ANG 9.09

-18.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$5.07 ANG 9.04

-68.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$8.83 ANG 15.77

-74.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$7.65 ANG 13.66

-70.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.90 ANG 6.96

-47.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$4.11 ANG 7.33

-62.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$5.13 ANG 9.15

-77.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.29 ANG 2.31

1.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$7.76 ANG 13.86

-49.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.90 ANG 19.45

28.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$5.15 ANG 9.19

-66.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$2.29 ANG 4.09

-46.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$1.53 ANG 2.74

5160.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$14.82 ANG 26.45

-91.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$149 ANG 265

19.39%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$32.43 ANG 57.9

-57.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$65.6 ANG 117

-54.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$62.0 ANG 111

-27.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$10.88 ANG 19.42

-38.88%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$250 ANG 447

224.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$12.0K ANG 21.5K

-23.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$2,158 ANG 3,852

-50.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,998 ANG 3,566

-66.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$6,575 ANG 11.7K

-71.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$6,605 ANG 11.8K

-84.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,128 ANG 2,014

-39.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

118.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Philipsburg: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $2,158 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 66% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $70.0 in Philipsburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $496 – 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 86%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $4,688 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $70.0 in Philipsburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $3,125 in Philipsburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Philipsburg at $3,125. 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.