Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Santa Cruz, Laguna Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Santa Cruz, Laguna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $752 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,163 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,574 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

Medellin costs about 37% more than Santa Cruz, Laguna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Santa Cruz, Laguna are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Santa Cruz, Laguna 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.81 ₱111

240.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$8.80 ₱543

270.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.07 ₱189

139.09%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.10 ₱129

-18.10%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.43 ₱26.27

144.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.28 ₱17.46

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.22 ₱75.5

38.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.09 ₱67.1

190.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.81 ₱112

-41.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.25 ₱77.4

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.04 ₱64.0

34.62%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.72 ₱106

25.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.18 ₱319

-15.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.35 ₱268

35.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.26 ₱448

19.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.58 ₱97.1

44.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.52 ₱31.85

113.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.55 ₱95.7

-1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.63 ₱101

-17.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.90 ₱179

-61.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$4.00 ₱247

-71.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.57 ₱96.9

-45.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.06 ₱65.4

-14.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.17 ₱196

-26.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.17 ₱565

34.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.61 ₱99.6

-25.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.94 ₱120

28.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.26 ₱15.84

223.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.79 ₱48.55

79.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.22 ₱13.50

772.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.14 ₱132

257.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.10 ₱68.1

-10.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$25.9K ₱1.6M

-30.45%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

29.91%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$95.2 ₱5,873

-15.15%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$33.23 ₱2,050

-70.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$30.15 ₱1,859

-19.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$33.67 ₱2,077

-25.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.30 ₱265

345.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.89 ₱425

-42.24%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$81.0 ₱4,998

276.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,775 ₱171.2K

118.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$32.05 ₱1,976

81.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.37 ₱1,811

9.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$99.3 ₱6,120

1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$95.8 ₱5,907

12.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$265 ₱16.4K

79.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$173 ₱10.7K

117.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$588 ₱36.3K

43.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$400 ₱24.7K

82.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,399 ₱148.0K

34.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,116 ₱68.8K

22.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.13

65.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $265 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $9.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $192 – making Santa Cruz, Laguna 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,128 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Cruz, Laguna, 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 $9.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna, where all-in costs run around $752, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Santa Cruz, Laguna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Cruz, Laguna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Cruz, Laguna. 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.