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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $819 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,172 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,526 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Puerto Princesa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Puerto Princesa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Puerto Princesa 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.13 ₱255

49.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$26.50 ₱1,634

23.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.38 ₱270

67.58%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.42 ₱149

-28.93%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.63 ₱38.73

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.39 ₱23.83

97.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.27 ₱78.2

33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.75 ₱108

81.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.59 ₱98.0

-33.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.14 ₱70.2

14.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.85 ₱52.6

64.71%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.87 ₱115

15.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.03 ₱557

-51.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.94 ₱305

19.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.31 ₱389

36.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.58 ₱221

-36.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.99 ₱61.3

12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.52 ₱217

-56.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.93 ₱57.3

45.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.81 ₱112

-37.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.32 ₱81.3

-14.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.08 ₱66.8

-21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.78 ₱47.99

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.10 ₱191

-24.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.11 ₱439

73.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.07 ₱66.2

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.79 ₱111

39.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.26 ₱15.83

223.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.78 ₱110

-20.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.22 ₱13.49

772.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.17 ₱134

253.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.17 ₱72.0

-15.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$14.1K ₱867.0K

28.25%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

28.74%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$121 ₱7,467

-33.26%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.75 ₱848

-27.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$33.59 ₱2,071

-28.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$26.78 ₱1,651

-6.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.35 ₱268

340.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.45 ₱336

-26.97%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$63.0 ₱3,884

384.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,379 ₱270.0K

38.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.36 ₱2,797

28.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$26.99 ₱1,664

19.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$74.4 ₱4,589

35.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$53.7 ₱3,311

100.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$287 ₱17.7K

66.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$226 ₱13.9K

66.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$449 ₱27.7K

88.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$307 ₱19.0K

137.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,412 ₱148.7K

33.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$965 ₱59.5K

42.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$226 ₱13.9K

173.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.25

62.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Puerto Princesa: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $287 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 173% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Puerto Princesa. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $196 in Puerto Princesa – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 26%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,228 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $27.00 in Puerto Princesa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Princesa, where all-in costs run around $819, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.