Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Roxas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Roxas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $376 in Roxas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $611 in Roxas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $847 in Roxas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 323% more than Roxas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Roxas is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.8K

$2.76 ₱173

190.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.3K

$19.33 ₱1,212

140.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.5K

$2.42 ₱152

289.67%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,398

$1.88 ₱118

54.79%

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

$1.75 COP 5,657

$0.45 ₱28.40

288.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,273

$0.17 ₱10.36

676.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$1.05 ₱65.9

198.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.9K

$1.75 ₱110

217.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,553

$1.69 ₱106

-16.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,878

$0.89 ₱56.1

174.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,258

$0.84 ₱52.8

94.05%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,107

$1.94 ₱121

45.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.3K

$5.81 ₱364

66.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.1K

$3.96 ₱248

135.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.4K

$6.35 ₱398

111.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.9K

$1.62 ₱102

146.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,780

$0.95 ₱59.5

55.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,856

$1.31 ₱82.1

61.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,271

$0.82 ₱51.5

174.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,171

$0.93 ₱58.5

105.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,228

$0.93 ₱58.6

74.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,706

$1.47 ₱91.9

-21.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,074

$0.77 ₱47.99

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.3K

$2.21 ₱139

72.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.3K

$6.22 ₱390

110.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,149

$1.11 ₱69.3

44.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,282

$1.25 ₱78.5

80.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,779

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 242.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,108

$0.78 ₱49.08

62.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,616

$0.33 ₱20.93

521.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.5K

$2.33 ₱146

251.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,098

$1.01 ₱63.3

25.74%

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

$26.8K COP 86.4M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

24.67%

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

$34.4K COP 111.1M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

80.92%

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

$162 COP 523.6K

$62.5 ₱3,918

159.66%

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

$13.12 COP 42.4K

$7.90 ₱496

66.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.7K

$21.35 ₱1,339

31.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.6K

$4.69 ₱294

29.85%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$32.11 ₱2,014

2280.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 274.3K

$23.66 ₱1,484

259.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 185.6K

$17.88 ₱1,121

221.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 425.3K

$56.4 ₱3,539

133.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 309.1K

$24.27 ₱1,522

294.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$315 ₱19.7K

226.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$564 ₱35.4K

10.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.33

49.25%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Roxas: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $315 in Roxas. 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 11% 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Roxas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $156 – making Roxas 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 Roxas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 323%, 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 $563 in Roxas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roxas, 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 Roxas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 84% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Roxas, where all-in costs run around $376, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Roxas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Roxas – 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 Roxas. 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.