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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $755 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,282 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,809 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

Medellin costs about 34% 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 24% lower, Subic Bay Freeport Zone 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.53 ₱279

32.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$16.23 ₱1,001

102.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.65 ₱225

94.25%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.54 ₱157

-32.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.85 ₱52.5

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.45 ₱27.91

73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.49 ₱91.9

12.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.36 ₱146

30.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.80 ₱111

-39.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.51 ₱93.3

-16.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.95 ₱58.6

45.26%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.07 ₱128

5.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.14 ₱502

-45.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.20 ₱321

8.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.83 ₱853

-35.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.95 ₱182

-20.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.76 ₱109

-39.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.43 ₱88.0

4.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.14 ₱70.5

21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.73 ₱107

-33.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.43 ₱88.1

-18.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.07 ₱65.7

-16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.83 ₱51.0

1.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.50 ₱154

-8.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.84 ₱484

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.83 ₱51.4

44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.29 ₱141

7.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.22 ₱13.50

290.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$18.12 ₱1,117

128.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.73 ₱45.08

101.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.27 ₱16.67

625.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.10 ₱129

268.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.11 ₱68.3

-14.41%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$27.9K ₱1.7M

-34.96%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$17.4K ₱1.1M

52.19%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$129 ₱7,980

-36.44%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.92 ₱673

-13.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$18.27 ₱1,127

32.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$31.14 ₱1,920

-16.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.55 ₱281

317.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.54 ₱465

-47.88%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$150 ₱9,227

106.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,384 ₱270.3K

36.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$45.58 ₱2,811

28.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$34.62 ₱2,135

-6.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$67.5 ₱4,163

51.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$116 ₱7,137

-6.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$141 ₱8,710

237.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$88.0 ₱5,424

330.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$366 ₱22.6K

128.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$472 ₱29.1K

53.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,350 ₱144.9K

18.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,066 ₱65.8K

13.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Subic Bay Freeport Zone: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 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 – $188 in Medellin vs $221 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 34%, 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 $1,132 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $755 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 $755, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.