Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Subic Bay Freeport Zone Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Subic Bay Freeport Zone

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $738 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,285 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,832 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

Medellin costs about 40% more than Subic Bay Freeport Zone, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Subic Bay Freeport Zone are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Subic Bay Freeport Zone 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.42 ₱272

39.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$16.02 ₱988

103.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.60 ₱222

103.89%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.44 ₱150

-29.51%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.82 ₱50.7

28.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.46 ₱28.30

67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.44 ₱88.8

17.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.37 ₱146

33.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.83 ₱113

-42.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.50 ₱92.8

-13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.93 ₱57.6

50.54%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.97 ₱122

9.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.91 ₱488

-44.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.05 ₱311

16.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.86 ₱855

-37.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.86 ₱176

-20.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.81 ₱112

-38.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.38 ₱84.9

10.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.14 ₱70.2

18.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.75 ₱108

-35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.42 ₱87.8

-20.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.12 ₱68.9

-24.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.88 ₱54.1

3.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.47 ₱152

-5.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.15 ₱503

51.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.77 ₱47.68

55.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.22 ₱137

12.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.22 ₱13.56

281.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$17.91 ₱1,105

126.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.69 ₱42.80

105.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.27 ₱16.65

611.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.07 ₱128

270.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.16 ₱71.4

-14.66%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$28.4K ₱1.8M

-36.53%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$17.4K ₱1.1M

52.68%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$129 ₱7,930

-37.16%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.97 ₱676

-9.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$18.69 ₱1,153

29.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$31.70 ₱1,955

-20.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.50 ₱278

325.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.38 ₱455

-46.07%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$154 ₱9,498

98.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,271 ₱263.4K

41.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.13 ₱2,783

28.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.67 ₱2,138

-7.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$69.8 ₱4,304

44.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$114 ₱7,014

-5.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$141 ₱8,672

238.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$87.0 ₱5,364

332.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$361 ₱22.3K

133.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$486 ₱30.0K

50.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,119 ₱130.7K

51.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$870 ₱53.7K

57.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.17

117.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Subic Bay Freeport Zone: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $141 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. 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 $16.00 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $220 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone – 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 40%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,107 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, 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 $16.00 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $738 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, where all-in costs run around $738, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Subic Bay Freeport Zone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Subic Bay Freeport Zone – 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone. 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.