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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $688 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,032 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,376 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 144% more than Puerto Princesa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Puerto Princesa is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$4.31 ₱270

86.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$16.98 ₱1,064

181.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.41 ₱277

124.26%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.32 ₱146

34.91%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.90 ₱56.2

112.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.49 ₱30.72

208.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.21 ₱75.9

157.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.35 ₱147

144.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.66 ₱104

-13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.94 ₱58.9

164.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$0.76 ₱47.89

132.89%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.73 ₱108

71.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$5.26 ₱330

91.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$5.51 ₱345

83.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$6.83 ₱428

109.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.25 ₱141

84.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$0.89 ₱56.0

80.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.09 ₱131

7.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.17 ₱73.4

92.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.54 ₱96.4

32.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.38 ₱86.6

11.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.80 ₱50.0

46.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.68 ₱42.48

92.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.89 ₱181

34.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$7.26 ₱455

92.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.00 ₱62.7

74.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.30 ₱81.2

120.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.25 ₱15.54

388.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$10.30 ₱645

681.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.78 ₱48.95

67.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.22 ₱13.72

895.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$1.92 ₱120

353.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.05 ₱65.8

30.48%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$17.2K ₱1.1M

61.74%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

87.18%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$61.2 ₱3,837

189.56%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$10.89 ₱682

27.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$24.36 ₱1,526

22.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$31.20 ₱1,955

43.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$4.43 ₱278

286.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$5.21 ₱327

27.64%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$135 ₱8,455

502.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$8,668 ₱543.2K

5.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$31.74 ₱1,989

181.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$19.57 ₱1,227

201.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$72.4 ₱4,534

91.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$54.8 ₱3,431

86.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$281 ₱17.6K

277.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$203 ₱12.7K

227.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$507 ₱31.8K

272.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$313 ₱19.6K

228.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,541 ₱159.2K

64.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,043 ₱65.4K

60.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$226 ₱14.2K

199.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.12

34.73%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Puerto Princesa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $281 in Puerto Princesa. 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 200% higher in Medellin, 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 $17.00 in Puerto Princesa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $171 – making Puerto Princesa 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 Princesa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 144%, 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 $1,032 in Puerto Princesa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Princesa, 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 $17.00 in Puerto Princesa. 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 $688 in Puerto Princesa. 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 Princesa, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Puerto Princesa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Princesa – 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 Princesa. 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.