🙂A single person spends $783 per month in Negros vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,238 per month in Negros vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,692 per month in Negros vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Negros is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Negros and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Negros42% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Negros
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.45₱211
$5.92COP 21.5K
-41.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.51₱827
$32.75COP 119.1K
-58.75%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.11₱190
$7.20COP 26.2K
-56.81%
Cappuccino
$1.63₱99.8
$1.70COP 6,186
-4.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31₱18.88
$1.10COP 3,996
-71.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42₱25.62
$0.72COP 2,625
-41.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.30₱79.8
$1.67COP 6,067
-22.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09₱128
$3.10COP 11.3K
-32.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Negros
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.29₱140
$1.06COP 3,837
116.04%
White Bread(500g)
$1.50₱91.9
$1.25COP 4,531
20.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.16₱71.0
$1.39COP 5,060
-16.55%
Eggs
$2.29₱140
$2.26COP 8,229
1.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.87₱787
$4.33COP 15.8K
197.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.12₱313
$5.84COP 21.2K
-12.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.63₱467
$8.83COP 32.1K
-13.59%
Apples(1kg)
$3.62₱222
$2.24COP 8,159
61.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51₱92.4
$1.08COP 3,911
39.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.31₱202
$1.53COP 5,563
116.34%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.24₱137
$1.37COP 4,987
63.50%
Potato(1kg)
$2.62₱160
$1.13COP 4,109
131.86%
Onion(1kg)
$2.54₱155
$1.12COP 4,067
126.79%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.00₱61.1
$0.85COP 3,080
17.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85₱51.8
$0.91COP 3,305
-6.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.25₱199
$2.33COP 8,477
39.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.42₱393
$11.13COP 40.5K
-42.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19₱73.1
$1.19COP 4,342
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32₱142
$2.37COP 8,617
-2.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Negros
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.28₱17.14
$0.79COP 2,859
-64.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.13COP 149.6K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.89₱54.4
$1.44COP 5,223
-38.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.25₱15.40
$1.91COP 6,952
-86.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.69₱164
$8.02COP 29.2K
-66.46%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.10₱67.6
$0.94COP 3,410
17.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.1K₱1.8M
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
67.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K₱1.7M
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
1.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Negros
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$96.2₱5,885
$84.0COP 305.4K
14.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.57₱2,115
$9.60COP 34.9K
260.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.37₱1,858
$24.16COP 87.9K
25.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Negros
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.95₱2,077
$25.88COP 94.1K
31.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.48₱274
$19.04COP 69.3K
-76.47%
Cinema Ticket
$5.82₱356
$3.92COP 14.2K
48.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Negros
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$233₱14.2K
$306COP 1.1M
-24.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,910₱239.2K
$5,919COP 21.5M
-33.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Negros
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.71₱2,797
$57.9COP 210.6K
-21.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.10₱1,413
$31.82COP 115.7K
-27.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$75.6₱4,625
$99.9COP 363.3K
-24.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.2₱3,378
$107COP 389.7K
-48.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Negros
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$266₱16.3K
$487COP 1.8M
-45.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$179₱10.9K
$368COP 1.3M
-51.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$582₱35.6K
$826COP 3.0M
-29.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$394₱24.1K
$716COP 2.6M
-45.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,145₱131.3K
$2,925COP 10.6M
-26.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Negros
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$245₱15.0K
$546COP 2.0M
-55.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7
13.43
-47.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Negros: April 27, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Negros versus $487 in Medellin. 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 122% 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 $14.00 in Negros versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Negros vs $190 in Medellin – 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
Negros vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Negros?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,175 per month in Negros and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Negros, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Negros or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Negros and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Negros and Medellin?
Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Negros or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Negros, where all-in costs run around $783, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Negros it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Negros or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Negros – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Negros. 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.