🙂A single person spends $736 per month in Phu Quoc vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,179 per month in Phu Quoc vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,622 per month in Phu Quoc vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Phu Quoc is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Phu Quoc and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Phu Quoc45% lower, Medellin25% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phu Quoc
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.90₫50.1K
$5.91COP 18.9K
-67.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.31₫560.8K
$32.96COP 105.2K
-35.35%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.62₫121.5K
$7.43COP 23.7K
-37.82%
Cappuccino
$1.77₫46.7K
$1.65COP 5,276
7.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50₫13.2K
$1.10COP 3,514
-54.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30₫7,981
$0.78COP 2,491
-61.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.93₫24.5K
$1.72COP 5,484
-45.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58₫41.6K
$3.18COP 10.1K
-50.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phu Quoc
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43₫37.7K
$1.10COP 3,521
30.00%
White Bread(500g)
$0.93₫24.6K
$1.26COP 4,015
-26.19%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.99₫26.0K
$1.38COP 4,407
-28.26%
Eggs
$1.45₫38.3K
$2.18COP 6,950
-33.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.71₫308.3K
$4.49COP 14.3K
160.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.74₫98.5K
$5.79COP 18.5K
-35.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.86₫259.5K
$8.97COP 28.6K
9.92%
Apples(1kg)
$2.78₫73.2K
$2.32COP 7,405
19.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06₫28.0K
$1.06COP 3,397
-
Oranges(1kg)
$1.28₫33.7K
$1.52COP 4,838
-15.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.07₫28.1K
$1.36COP 4,327
-21.32%
Potato(1kg)
$1.07₫28.3K
$1.13COP 3,599
-5.31%
Onion(1kg)
$1.01₫26.5K
$1.17COP 3,738
-13.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.68₫17.9K
$0.90COP 2,876
-24.44%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52₫13.7K
$0.90COP 2,861
-42.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.30₫34.3K
$2.23COP 7,128
-41.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.44₫301.1K
$12.12COP 38.7K
-5.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.75₫19.8K
$1.19COP 3,793
-36.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65₫43.3K
$2.48COP 7,920
-33.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Phu Quoc
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.34₫8,982
$0.85COP 2,723
-60.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$6.46₫169.9K
$41.62COP 132.8K
-84.48%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.68₫17.9K
$1.42COP 4,518
-52.11%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.62₫16.3K
$1.95COP 6,223
-68.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.73₫72.0K
$7.89COP 25.2K
-65.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.85₫22.4K
$0.99COP 3,160
-14.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K₫907.8M
$17.6KCOP 56.2M
95.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K₫838.9M
$26.8KCOP 85.5M
18.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phu Quoc
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$76.6₫2.0M
$83.0COP 264.9K
-7.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.83₫153.5K
$9.70COP 30.9K
-39.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.99₫236.6K
$23.52COP 75.0K
-61.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phu Quoc
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$21.52₫566.6K
$25.26COP 80.6K
-14.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.84₫206.5K
$19.10COP 60.9K
-58.95%
Cinema Ticket
$3.12₫82.1K
$3.95COP 12.6K
-21.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phu Quoc
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$269₫7.1M
$316COP 1.0M
-14.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.7K₫309.1M
$5,975COP 19.1M
96.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phu Quoc
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.92₫1.1M
$60.0COP 191.4K
-31.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.86₫601.6K
$31.82COP 101.5K
-28.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.2₫2.3M
$102COP 324.4K
-14.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.9₫1.9M
$107COP 342.8K
-31.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phu Quoc
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$353₫9.3M
$475COP 1.5M
-25.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$249₫6.6M
$374COP 1.2M
-33.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$715₫18.8M
$849COP 2.7M
-15.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$527₫13.9M
$719COP 2.3M
-26.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,073₫54.6M
$3,265COP 10.4M
-36.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,269₫33.4M
$1,441COP 4.6M
-11.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phu Quoc
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$624COP 2.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.1
13.43
-32.24%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phu Quoc: July 26, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Phu Quoc versus $475 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Phu Quoc versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $193 – making Phu Quoc 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
Phu Quoc vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Phu Quoc?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,104 per month in Phu Quoc and $1,504 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 Phu Quoc, 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 Phu Quoc or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Phu Quoc and $33.00 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 Phu Quoc and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $736 in Phu Quoc and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phu Quoc or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Phu Quoc, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Phu Quoc it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phu Quoc or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phu Quoc – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phu Quoc or Medellin?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phu Quoc. 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.