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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $731 in Zamboanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,099 in Zamboanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,467 in Zamboanga, rent included.

Medellin costs about 130% more than Zamboanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Zamboanga is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$1.32 ₱82.7

507.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$16.92 ₱1,061

182.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$3.51 ₱220

181.77%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.08 ₱130

50.48%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.87 ₱54.2

119.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.42 ₱26.50

259.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.46 ₱91.6

113.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$1.99 ₱125

188.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.73 ₱108

-16.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.43 ₱89.5

74.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.11 ₱69.7

59.46%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.52 ₱95.0

94.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$10.08 ₱632

-0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.06 ₱254

149.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$3.16 ₱198

352.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.07 ₱192

34.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.17 ₱73.2

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$3.69 ₱231

-39.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.14 ₱71.3

97.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.18 ₱74.3

72.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.44 ₱153

-36.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.83 ₱52.0

40.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.50 ₱31.55

162.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.79 ₱175

39.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$4.11 ₱257

240.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.31 ₱82.1

32.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.96 ₱123

46.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.22 ₱13.80

454.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$11.85 ₱743

579.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.77 ₱48.02

70.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.21 ₱13.16

942.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$1.67 ₱105

421.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.97 ₱60.9

41.24%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

34.93%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$18.5K ₱1.2M

93.20%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$122 ₱7,667

44.92%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$14.78 ₱926

-6.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$47.02 ₱2,947

-36.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$36.01 ₱2,257

24.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$4.65 ₱291

268.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$5.09 ₱319

30.65%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$131 ₱8,182

522.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$7,834 ₱490.9K

17.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$32.17 ₱2,016

178.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$18.84 ₱1,181

213.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$71.0 ₱4,448

94.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$54.5 ₱3,417

87.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$263 ₱16.5K

304.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$174 ₱10.9K

281.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$340 ₱21.3K

455.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$354 ₱22.2K

189.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,560 ₱160.4K

63.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,002 ₱62.8K

67.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$188 ₱11.8K

259.64%

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 Zamboanga: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $263 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 260% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Zamboanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $181 – making Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 130%, 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 $1,097 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in Zamboanga. 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 $731 in Zamboanga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zamboanga, where all-in costs run around $731, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.