Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zamboanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zamboanga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $755 in Zamboanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,095 in Zamboanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,435 in Zamboanga, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Zamboanga, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Zamboanga are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Zamboanga 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.52 ₱93.1

288.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$9.65 ₱591

241.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$2.72 ₱166

173.16%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.81 ₱111

-8.84%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.94 ₱57.8

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.45 ₱27.34

73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.23 ₱75.2

39.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.70 ₱104

87.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.02 ₱124

-45.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.63 ₱100.0

-22.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.28 ₱78.6

7.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.70 ₱104

28.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.16 ₱683

-59.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.52 ₱277

28.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$3.70 ₱227

142.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.44 ₱210

-32.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.35 ₱82.7

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$4.22 ₱258

-63.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.71 ₱166

-49.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.35 ₱82.4

-16.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.75 ₱168

-57.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.91 ₱55.6

-1.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.53 ₱32.56

69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.12 ₱191

-28.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.18 ₱256

189.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.40 ₱85.6

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.22 ₱136

11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.22 ₱13.46

286.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.86 ₱52.5

65.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.22 ₱13.43

786.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.16 ₱132

265.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.27 ₱77.7

-22.05%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$27.0K ₱1.6M

-34.69%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.3K ₱1.2M

32.00%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$162 ₱9,946

-48.91%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$48.37 ₱2,961

-79.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$53.3 ₱3,263

-55.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$39.65 ₱2,427

-36.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.52 ₱277

322.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.98 ₱428

-43.41%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$53.1 ₱3,247

495.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,258 ₱77.0K

374.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$24.38 ₱1,492

146.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$26.48 ₱1,621

20.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$87.2 ₱5,340

16.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$62.6 ₱3,830

71.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$140 ₱8,563

239.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$69.5 ₱4,254

438.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$372 ₱22.8K

128.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$141 ₱8,639

409.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,694 ₱164.9K

21.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,031 ₱63.1K

39.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$196 ₱12.0K

217.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Zamboanga: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $140 in Zamboanga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 218% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $10.00 in Zamboanga. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $211 in Zamboanga – 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 Zamboanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,133 in Zamboanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zamboanga, 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 $10.00 in Zamboanga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zamboanga, where all-in costs run around $755, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Zamboanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zamboanga – 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 Zamboanga. 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.