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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $809 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,180 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,550 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Puerto Princesa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Puerto Princesa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Puerto Princesa 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.10 ₱253

46.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$26.71 ₱1,647

23.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.27 ₱263

66.04%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.46 ₱152

-30.49%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.68 ₱41.75

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.38 ₱23.46

105.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.26 ₱77.5

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.72 ₱106

78.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.53 ₱94.5

-28.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.17 ₱72.1

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.84 ₱51.8

64.29%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.88 ₱116

16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.83 ₱544

-50.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.03 ₱310

11.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.23 ₱384

42.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.51 ₱216

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.93 ₱57.3

13.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.48 ₱214

-56.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.90 ₱55.6

53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.80 ₱111

-36.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.37 ₱84.4

-15.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.05 ₱64.6

-15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.73 ₱45.28

15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.95 ₱182

-22.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.18 ₱443

48.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.13 ₱69.6

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.80 ₱111

37.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.28 ₱17.47

207.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.81 ₱112

-18.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.22 ₱13.50

790.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.10 ₱129

268.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.21 ₱74.7

-21.49%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$14.4K ₱890.6K

25.53%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

29.69%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$122 ₱7,495

-32.33%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.69 ₱844

-30.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$34.56 ₱2,131

-29.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$26.23 ₱1,618

-1.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.33 ₱267

338.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.30 ₱327

-25.85%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$62.5 ₱3,856

394.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,255 ₱262.4K

40.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$45.30 ₱2,793

29.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$26.63 ₱1,642

21.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$75.2 ₱4,640

36.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$52.3 ₱3,222

107.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$291 ₱18.0K

63.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$228 ₱14.0K

66.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$439 ₱27.0K

91.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$314 ₱19.4K

130.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,418 ₱149.1K

15.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$970 ₱59.8K

24.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$223 ₱13.7K

129.83%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Puerto Princesa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $291 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 130% 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 – $188 in Medellin vs $195 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 25%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,214 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 3% 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 $809, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.