Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Philipsburg and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $3,094 in Philipsburg, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten
Medellin, Colombia
Philipsburg
🇸🇽 Sint Maarten
$3,094
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Philipsburg and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Philipsburg and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,094 per month in Philipsburg vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Philipsburg $3,094
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $6,080 per month in Philipsburg vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Philipsburg $6,080
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $9,066 per month in Philipsburg vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Philipsburg $9,066
  • Medellin $3,186

Philipsburg costs about 89% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Philipsburg and Medellin sit above the global median – Philipsburg by 127%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Philipsburg
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.29 ANG 27.37
$8.09 COP 26.1K
89.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7 ANG 123
$47.05 COP 151.9K
46.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.01 ANG 14.34
$9.50 COP 30.7K
-15.68%
Cappuccino
$4.43 ANG 7.93
$3.01 COP 9,735
47.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 ANG 5.13
$1.80 COP 5,809
58.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.07 ANG 7.29
$1.41 COP 4,561
188.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.94 ANG 5.26
$3.18 COP 10.3K
-7.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.65 ANG 11.90
$5.75 COP 18.6K
15.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Philipsburg
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.02 ANG 5.41
$1.51 COP 4,876
100.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.73 ANG 4.89
$2.38 COP 7,678
14.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.46 ANG 4.40
$1.77 COP 5,720
38.98%
Eggs
$6.46 ANG 11.56
$2.89 COP 9,333
123.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.14 ANG 32.47
$10.19 COP 32.9K
78.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.75 ANG 24.61
$9.87 COP 31.9K
39.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.14 ANG 27.10
$13.99 COP 45.2K
8.22%
Apples (1kg)
$5.09 ANG 9.11
$3.97 COP 12.8K
28.21%
Banana (1kg)
$5.07 ANG 9.07
$1.55 COP 5,012
227.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.79 ANG 15.73
$2.18 COP 7,048
303.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.70 ANG 13.78
$2.18 COP 7,051
253.21%
Potato (1kg)
$3.94 ANG 7.04
$1.96 COP 6,337
101.02%
Onion (1kg)
$4.06 ANG 7.27
$1.59 COP 5,132
155.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$4.95 ANG 8.86
$1.15 COP 3,699
330.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 ANG 2.44
$1.24 COP 4,014
9.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.88 ANG 14.11
$3.96 COP 12.8K
98.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.95 ANG 19.61
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-19.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.98 ANG 8.91
$1.66 COP 5,359
200.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.26 COP 7,291
-
🚌 Getting Around
Philipsburg
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 ANG 4.15
$1.17 COP 3,771
98.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$1.53 ANG 2.74
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-98.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$14.87 ANG 26.61
$1.27 COP 4,094
1070.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.05 COP 6,612
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.35 COP 4,349
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Philipsburg
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$153 ANG 273
$170 COP 547.8K
-10.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.43 ANG 58.1
$13.55 COP 43.8K
139.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.0 ANG 116
$28.07 COP 90.6K
131.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Philipsburg
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.6 ANG 114
$43.70 COP 141.1K
45.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.02 ANG 19.72
$6.91 COP 22.3K
59.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Philipsburg
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$253 ANG 452
$797 COP 2.6M
-68.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.2K ANG 21.9K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
34.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Philipsburg
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$58.0 COP 187.2K
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$135 COP 435.8K
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$97.9 COP 316.0K
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Philipsburg
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,126 ANG 3,805
$1,208 COP 3.9M
76.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ANG 3,550
$642 COP 2.1M
209.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$6,627 ANG 11.9K
$2,028 COP 6.5M
226.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$6,545 ANG 11.7K
$1,012 COP 3.3M
546.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Philipsburg
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,111 ANG 1,988
$657 COP 2.1M
69.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
10.94
-54.30%

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

Last update for Philipsburg: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Philipsburg
–
Medellin
$642
Groceries & Markets
Philipsburg
–
Medellin
$297
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Philipsburg
–
Medellin
$211
Eating Out
Philipsburg
–
Medellin
$170
Clothing & Footwear
Philipsburg
–
Medellin
$169
Getting Around
Philipsburg
–
Medellin
$94
Sport & Entertainment
Philipsburg
–
Medellin
$58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,126 in Philipsburg versus $1,208 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 69% 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 $69 in Philipsburg versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $494 vs $297 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇽 Philipsburg
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
06:41 6:41 AM
05:41 5:41 AM
1 h behind Philipsburg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,900 Capital
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to ANG – Netherlands Antillean Guilder Converter

Netherlands Antillean Guilder exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.79 ANG (1 ANG = 0.559 USD). 1 EUR = 2 ANG (1 ANG = 0.501 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Philipsburg Medellin 1,890 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Philipsburg
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Medellin cheaper than Philipsburg?
Yes – Philipsburg is pricier by about 89%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,641 per month in Philipsburg and $2,459 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $2,126 in Philipsburg.
Is eating out cheaper in Philipsburg or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in Philipsburg and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Philipsburg and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,094 in Philipsburg and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 47% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Philipsburg or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Philipsburg at $3,094. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Philipsburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Philipsburg or in Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $3,094 in Philipsburg. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Philipsburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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