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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,156 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 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 Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Santa Cruz, Laguna are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Santa Cruz, Laguna 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.80 ₱111

232.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$8.66 ₱534

279.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.05 ₱188

132.46%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.19 ₱135

-21.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.43 ₱26.47

155.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.26 ₱15.85

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.27 ₱78.4

32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.08 ₱66.7

184.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.81 ₱111

-39.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.21 ₱74.5

4.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.07 ₱66.0

28.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.74 ₱107

25.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.38 ₱332

-18.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.31 ₱266

30.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.16 ₱442

24.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.57 ₱97.1

49.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.51 ₱31.34

107.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.56 ₱96.2

-3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.69 ₱104

-18.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.86 ₱177

-59.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$4.16 ₱256

-72.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.56 ₱96.3

-42.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.04 ₱64.2

-19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.18 ₱196

-28.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.92 ₱550

19.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.54 ₱95.3

-22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.98 ₱122

24.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.26 ₱15.84

230.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.77 ₱47.63

90.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.22 ₱13.53

790.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.19 ₱135

253.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.09 ₱67.1

-12.84%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$25.4K ₱1.6M

-28.66%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

30.00%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$94.5 ₱5,826

-12.95%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$33.54 ₱2,068

-71.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$29.99 ₱1,849

-19.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$34.24 ₱2,111

-24.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.49 ₱277

323.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.91 ₱426

-43.13%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$81.2 ₱5,005

281.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,818 ₱173.7K

111.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$32.30 ₱1,992

81.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$29.26 ₱1,804

10.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$97.3 ₱5,998

5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$92.8 ₱5,719

16.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$271 ₱16.7K

75.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$179 ₱11.0K

111.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$579 ₱35.7K

44.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$399 ₱24.6K

81.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,557 ₱157.7K

9.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,067 ₱65.8K

13.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $271 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. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $191 in Santa Cruz, Laguna – 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 37%, 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 $1,107 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, Laguna, where all-in costs run around $738, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.