Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz, Laguna and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz, Laguna and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $752 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,163 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,574 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Cruz, Laguna is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santa Cruz, Laguna and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santa Cruz, Laguna 44% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.81 ₱111

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-70.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.80 ₱542

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-73.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.07 ₱189

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-58.17%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ₱129

$1.72 COP 5,600

22.09%

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

$0.43 ₱26.23

$1.05 COP 3,420

-59.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₱17.43

$0.77 COP 2,515

-63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ₱75.3

$1.69 COP 5,488

-27.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₱67.0

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-65.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ₱112

$1.05 COP 3,423

72.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₱77.3

$1.30 COP 4,236

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₱63.9

$1.40 COP 4,544

-25.71%

Eggs

$1.72 ₱106

$2.16 COP 7,047

-20.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.18 ₱319

$4.39 COP 14.3K

18.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 ₱268

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-26.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.26 ₱447

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-15.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 ₱97.0

$2.28 COP 7,426

-30.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.52 ₱31.79

$1.11 COP 3,604

-53.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ₱95.6

$1.53 COP 4,983

1.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₱101

$1.35 COP 4,410

20.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 ₱179

$1.13 COP 3,674

156.64%

Onion (1kg)

$4.00 ₱246

$1.13 COP 3,692

253.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 ₱96.7

$0.85 COP 2,753

84.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₱65.3

$0.91 COP 2,975

16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 ₱195

$2.34 COP 7,630

35.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 ₱564

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-25.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₱99.4

$1.20 COP 3,909

34.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱120

$2.49 COP 8,104

-22.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.81

$0.84 COP 2,728

-69.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱48.46

$1.42 COP 4,623

-44.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.48

$1.92 COP 6,235

-88.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₱132

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-72.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱68.0

$0.99 COP 3,223

11.11%

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

$25.9K ₱1.6M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

43.79%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-23.02%

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

$95.2 ₱5,863

$80.8 COP 263.1K

17.86%

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

$33.23 ₱2,046

$9.95 COP 32.4K

233.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.15 ₱1,856

$24.18 COP 78.7K

24.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.67 ₱2,073

$25.08 COP 81.7K

34.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.30 ₱265

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-77.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.89 ₱424

$3.98 COP 13.0K

73.12%

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

$81.0 ₱4,989

$305 COP 993.5K

-73.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,775 ₱170.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-54.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.05 ₱1,973

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-44.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.37 ₱1,808

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-8.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 ₱6,110

$101 COP 327.9K

-1.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 ₱5,897

$108 COP 350.8K

-11.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$477 COP 1.6M

-44.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₱10.7K

$376 COP 1.2M

-53.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₱36.2K

$845 COP 2.7M

-30.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₱24.6K

$730 COP 2.4M

-45.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 ₱147.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-25.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,116 ₱68.7K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-18.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

13.43

-39.46%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $265 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $477 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 $9.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $193 – making Santa Cruz, Laguna 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

Santa Cruz, Laguna vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,128 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Cruz, Laguna, 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 $9.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, Laguna, where all-in costs run around $752, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Santa Cruz, Laguna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Cruz, Laguna – 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna. 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.