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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $765 in Zamboanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,098 in Zamboanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,431 in Zamboanga, rent included.

Medellin costs about 34% more than Zamboanga, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Zamboanga are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zamboanga 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$1.50 ₱90.3

300.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$9.58 ₱577

242.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$2.68 ₱162

176.87%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.74 ₱105

-5.17%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.91 ₱54.9

17.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.42 ₱25.08

80.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.27 ₱76.4

35.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$1.69 ₱102

89.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$2.03 ₱122

-48.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.65 ₱99.4

-20.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.25 ₱75.2

7.20%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.69 ₱102

29.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$11.33 ₱682

-61.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$4.59 ₱277

23.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$3.56 ₱214

139.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.37 ₱203

-30.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.36 ₱82.0

-18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$4.35 ₱262

-65.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$2.59 ₱156

-47.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.39 ₱83.6

-17.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.87 ₱173

-58.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.96 ₱58.1

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.57 ₱34.32

50.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$3.01 ₱181

-24.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$4.40 ₱265

163.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.41 ₱85.0

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.26 ₱136

9.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.22 ₱13.17

259.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.92 ₱55.6

59.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.22 ₱13.22

772.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$2.14 ₱129

263.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.25 ₱75.4

-19.20%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

-33.49%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$20.5K ₱1.2M

28.94%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$163 ₱9,845

-50.39%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$47.84 ₱2,882

-80.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$52.7 ₱3,176

-54.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$39.91 ₱2,404

-34.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$4.56 ₱274

310.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$7.24 ₱436

-43.51%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$52.6 ₱3,168

497.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$1,251 ₱75.3K

381.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$24.66 ₱1,485

142.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$26.09 ₱1,571

22.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$89.9 ₱5,416

12.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$63.0 ₱3,792

66.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$140 ₱8,460

245.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$71.5 ₱4,307

410.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$369 ₱22.2K

124.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$142 ₱8,557

413.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,574 ₱155.0K

16.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$896 ₱54.0K

46.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$200 ₱12.0K

175.56%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Zamboanga: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 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 176% 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 – $190 in Medellin vs $212 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 34%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,148 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 12% 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 $765, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.