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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $658 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,006 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,353 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

Medellin costs about 155% more than Subic Bay Freeport Zone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Subic Bay Freeport Zone is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$4.75 ₱298

68.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$14.45 ₱906

231.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.25 ₱329

88.38%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.20 ₱138

42.27%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.60 ₱37.36

218.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.31 ₱19.45

387.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.47 ₱92.1

112.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.02 ₱127

184.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.60 ₱101

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.18 ₱74.0

111.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.06 ₱66.6

66.98%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.94 ₱122

52.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$4.57 ₱287

120.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.71 ₱233

172.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$6.39 ₱401

123.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.22 ₱139

86.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.56 ₱98.1

3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.65 ₱166

-15.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.18 ₱74.2

90.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.05 ₱128

-0.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.16 ₱136

-28.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.75 ₱47.27

56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.60 ₱37.78

118.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.92 ₱183

33.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.02 ₱503

74.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.97 ₱60.8

79.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.90 ₱119

51.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.20 ₱12.52

510.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$9.83 ₱616

718.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.81 ₱50.7

61.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.23 ₱14.37

852.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.85 ₱116

370.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.04 ₱65.2

31.73%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.9K ₱1.4M

27.20%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$16.7K ₱1.0M

113.83%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$141 ₱8,852

25.63%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$15.67 ₱983

-11.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$16.38 ₱1,028

81.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$30.31 ₱1,901

48.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$4.68 ₱293

265.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.09 ₱319

30.65%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$129 ₱8,063

532.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,462 ₱468.0K

23.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$35.14 ₱2,204

154.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$19.42 ₱1,218

203.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$63.3 ₱3,972

118.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$50.8 ₱3,187

101.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$128 ₱8,040

728.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$78.6 ₱4,931

743.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$327 ₱20.5K

477.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$191 ₱12.0K

438.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,625 ₱164.6K

59.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$913 ₱57.3K

83.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Subic Bay Freeport Zone: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $128 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $174 – making Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 155%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $988 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $14.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $658 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 $658, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.