Cost of Living Comparison Between Philipsburg and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Philipsburg and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,125 per month in Philipsburg vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,156 per month in Philipsburg vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,187 per month in Philipsburg vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Philipsburg costs about 86% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Philipsburg and Medellin sit above the global median – Philipsburg by 128%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.29 ANG 27.30

$8.02 COP 25.3K

90.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 ANG 126

$47.87 COP 151.0K

46.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ANG 14.82

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-15.98%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ANG 7.55

$3.13 COP 9,873

35.14%

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

$2.82 ANG 5.03

$1.91 COP 6,019

47.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ANG 7.03

$1.51 COP 4,763

160.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 ANG 5.28

$3.12 COP 9,853

-5.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 ANG 11.47

$5.75 COP 18.1K

11.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.93 ANG 5.23

$1.44 COP 4,558

103.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 ANG 4.70

$2.49 COP 7,843

6.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ANG 4.48

$1.77 COP 5,595

41.81%

Eggs

$6.49 ANG 11.59

$2.96 COP 9,336

119.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.68 ANG 33.34

$10.07 COP 31.8K

85.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 ANG 25.34

$10.12 COP 31.9K

40.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 ANG 26.62

$14.30 COP 45.1K

4.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 ANG 9.09

$4.14 COP 13.0K

22.95%

Banana (1kg)

$5.07 ANG 9.04

$1.61 COP 5,073

214.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.83 ANG 15.77

$2.25 COP 7,083

292.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.65 ANG 13.66

$2.25 COP 7,104

240.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 ANG 6.96

$2.04 COP 6,444

91.18%

Onion (1kg)

$4.11 ANG 7.33

$1.54 COP 4,842

166.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.13 ANG 9.15

$1.17 COP 3,691

338.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ANG 2.31

$1.31 COP 4,121

-1.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 ANG 13.86

$3.90 COP 12.3K

98.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 ANG 19.45

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-22.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.15 ANG 9.19

$1.74 COP 5,498

195.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 ANG 4.09

$1.22 COP 3,834

87.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$1.53 ANG 2.74

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-98.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.82 ANG 26.45

$1.31 COP 4,129

1031.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

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

$149 ANG 265

$177 COP 559.3K

-16.24%

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

$32.43 ANG 57.9

$13.88 COP 43.8K

133.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.6 ANG 117

$29.72 COP 93.8K

120.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.0 ANG 111

$44.88 COP 141.6K

38.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 ANG 19.42

$6.65 COP 21.0K

63.61%

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

$250 ANG 447

$813 COP 2.6M

-69.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K ANG 21.5K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

30.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,158 ANG 3,852

$1,062 COP 3.3M

103.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 ANG 3,566

$663 COP 2.1M

201.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,575 ANG 11.7K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

248.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$6,605 ANG 11.8K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

543.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,128 ANG 2,014

$678 COP 2.1M

66.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-54.30%

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

Last update for Philipsburg: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,158 in Philipsburg versus $1,062 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 66% higher in Philipsburg, 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 $70.0 in Philipsburg versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $496 vs $305 – making Medellin 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

Philipsburg vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Philipsburg is pricier by about 86%, 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 $4,688 per month in Philipsburg and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $70.0 in Philipsburg and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,125 in Philipsburg and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Philipsburg at $3,125. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Philipsburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Philipsburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.