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 $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $838 in Puerto Galera, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,253 in Puerto Galera, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,669 in Puerto Galera, rent included.

Medellin costs about 101% more than Puerto Galera, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Puerto Galera is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$4.39 ₱270

79.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$19.54 ₱1,204

127.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$2.81 ₱173

230.60%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.78 ₱171

4.32%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.72 ₱44.16

151.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.29 ₱18.04

434.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.42 ₱87.8

128.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.86 ₱176

105.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.68 ₱104

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.16 ₱71.6

111.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$0.86 ₱53.0

75.58%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.77 ₱109

57.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$6.87 ₱424

31.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.37 ₱269

143.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$7.25 ₱447

101.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.97 ₱245

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.47 ₱90.7

-6.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$3.52 ₱217

-34.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.20 ₱74.1

68.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$2.31 ₱142

-9.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$3.49 ₱215

-53.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.46 ₱90.3

-26.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.92 ₱56.6

35.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.76 ₱170

46.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$7.85 ₱484

71.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.31 ₱80.9

22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.87 ₱115

60.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.26 ₱15.77

353.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$11.84 ₱730

575.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.78 ₱48.36

106.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.22 ₱13.54

868.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$2.63 ₱162

223.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.16 ₱71.3

16.38%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$21.6K ₱1.3M

31.03%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

84.56%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$166 ₱10.2K

-8.71%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$14.80 ₱913

-11.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$25.43 ₱1,568

27.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$30.29 ₱1,867

52.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$4.47 ₱275

286.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.50 ₱462

-14.27%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$75.1 ₱4,632

1011.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$2,544 ₱156.8K

249.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$37.00 ₱2,281

141.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$22.81 ₱1,406

142.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$81.2 ₱5,004

68.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$77.1 ₱4,752

41.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$256 ₱15.8K

271.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$159 ₱9,800

320.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$503 ₱31.0K

301.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$337 ₱20.8K

241.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$2,574 ₱158.7K

43.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$964 ₱59.4K

64.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

49.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Puerto Galera: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $256 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Puerto Galera. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $209 – 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 101%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,256 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $20.00 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $838 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 $838, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.