Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and RoxasCost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Roxas
Monthly Cost of Living
😐A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $621 in Roxas, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $977 in Roxas, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,333 in Roxas, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 66% more than Roxas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Medellin and Roxas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin23% lower, Roxas54% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Roxas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.5K
$2.73₱167
116.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 119.1K
$20.98₱1,284
56.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.2K
$3.51₱215
105.13%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,186
$1.96₱120
-13.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,996
$0.57₱34.94
92.98%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,625
$0.17₱10.56
323.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,067
$0.94₱57.7
77.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.3K
$1.81₱111
71.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Roxas
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,837
$1.18₱72.2
-10.17%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,531
$1.11₱67.6
12.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,060
$0.85₱52.1
63.53%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,229
$2.27₱139
-0.44%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.8K
$6.00₱367
-27.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.2K
$1.94₱119
201.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 32.1K
$6.87₱420
28.53%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,159
$1.30₱79.6
72.31%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,911
$1.18₱72.4
-8.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,563
$1.45₱88.7
5.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,987
$1.17₱71.4
17.09%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,109
$1.05₱64.1
7.62%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,067
$0.81₱49.66
38.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,080
$1.11₱67.9
-23.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,305
$0.42₱25.73
116.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,477
$2.96₱181
-21.28%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.5K
$8.31₱508
33.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,342
$1.25₱76.6
-4.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,617
$1.39₱85.2
70.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Roxas
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,859
$0.26₱15.87
203.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 149.6K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,223
$0.68₱41.57
111.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,952
$0.24₱14.70
695.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 29.2K
$2.65₱162
202.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,410
$1.09₱66.6
-13.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
$24.3K₱1.5M
-26.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
$19.4K₱1.2M
37.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Roxas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 305.4K
$66.6₱4,074
26.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.9K
$8.97₱549
7.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.9K
$28.72₱1,757
-15.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Roxas
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 94.1K
$33.41₱2,044
-22.54%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 69.3K
$4.30₱263
342.79%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.2K
$5.20₱318
-24.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Roxas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$35.53₱2,174
762.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.5M
$4,274₱261.5K
38.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Roxas
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 210.6K
$45.05₱2,756
28.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 115.7K
$23.27₱1,424
36.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 363.3K
$62.0₱3,795
61.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 389.7K
$26.78₱1,638
300.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Roxas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$360₱22.0K
35.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$175₱10.7K
110.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$583₱35.7K
41.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$397₱24.3K
80.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$2,089₱127.8K
40.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Roxas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$598₱36.6K
-8.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
8
67.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Last update for Roxas: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $360 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 10% higher in Roxas, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Roxas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $149 – 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
Is Roxas cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 66%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $932 in Roxas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Roxas?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $21.00 in Roxas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Roxas?
Groceries cost about 28% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Medellin or Roxas?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Roxas, where all-in costs run around $621, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Roxas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Roxas more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Roxas?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.