Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puerto Galera Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puerto Galera

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $847 in Puerto Galera, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $1,266 in Puerto Galera, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $1,686 in Puerto Galera, rent included.

Medellin costs about 88% more than Puerto Galera, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Puerto Galera is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.8K

$4.46 ₱280

79.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.3K

$19.33 ₱1,213

140.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.5K

$2.76 ₱173

241.67%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,398

$2.75 ₱172

5.82%

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

$1.75 COP 5,657

$0.71 ₱44.51

146.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,273

$0.29 ₱18.33

355.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$1.42 ₱89.0

120.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.9K

$2.75 ₱172

101.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,553

$1.68 ₱105

-16.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,878

$1.19 ₱74.6

105.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,258

$0.89 ₱56.1

83.15%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,107

$1.74 ₱109

62.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.3K

$6.66 ₱418

45.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.1K

$4.12 ₱258

126.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.4K

$7.16 ₱449

87.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.9K

$4.01 ₱252

-0.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,780

$1.36 ₱85.2

8.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,856

$3.59 ₱225

-40.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,271

$1.18 ₱74.0

90.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,171

$2.29 ₱144

-16.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,228

$3.42 ₱214

-52.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,706

$1.43 ₱89.4

-19.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,074

$0.97 ₱61.0

29.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.3K

$2.80 ₱176

36.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.3K

$7.78 ₱488

68.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,149

$1.29 ₱81.1

24.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,282

$1.78 ₱112

26.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,779

$0.27 ₱16.67

333.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 242.1K

$10.66 ₱669

603.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,108

$0.78 ₱49.10

62.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,616

$0.21 ₱13.12

876.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.5K

$2.50 ₱157

228.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,098

$1.20 ₱75.2

5.83%

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

$26.8K COP 86.4M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

24.94%

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

$34.4K COP 111.1M

$18.7K ₱1.2M

83.85%

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

$162 COP 523.6K

$163 ₱10.2K

-0.34%

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

$13.12 COP 42.4K

$14.65 ₱919

-10.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.7K

$24.24 ₱1,520

15.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.1K

$31.54 ₱1,978

40.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.7K

$4.18 ₱262

290.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.6K

$7.23 ₱454

-15.77%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$73.0 ₱4,577

947.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.7M

$2,474 ₱155.2K

259.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 274.3K

$35.38 ₱2,219

140.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 185.6K

$23.15 ₱1,452

148.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 425.3K

$77.6 ₱4,864

69.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 309.1K

$75.4 ₱4,727

27.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$267 ₱16.8K

284.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

$175 ₱11.0K

245.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$525 ₱32.9K

243.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$358 ₱22.5K

177.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

$2,770 ₱173.8K

41.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

$1,096 ₱68.7K

49.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

56.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Puerto Galera: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $267 in Puerto Galera. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Puerto Galera. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $206 – making Puerto Galera 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 Puerto Galera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 88%, 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 $2,384 per month in Medellin and $1,270 in Puerto Galera. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Galera, 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Puerto Galera. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,589 in Medellin and $847 in Puerto Galera. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Galera, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Puerto Galera it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Galera – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Puerto Galera. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.