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 $738 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,156 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,574 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Cruz, Laguna is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santa Cruz, Laguna and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santa Cruz, Laguna 45% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.80 ₱111

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-69.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.66 ₱534

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-73.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.05 ₱188

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-56.98%

Cappuccino

$2.19 ₱135

$1.71 COP 6,115

28.07%

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

$0.43 ₱26.47

$1.10 COP 3,924

-60.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₱15.85

$0.78 COP 2,781

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ₱78.4

$1.68 COP 5,997

-24.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₱66.7

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-64.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ₱111

$1.09 COP 3,906

66.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱74.5

$1.26 COP 4,508

-3.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.0

$1.38 COP 4,922

-22.46%

Eggs

$1.74 ₱107

$2.19 COP 7,827

-20.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.38 ₱332

$4.40 COP 15.7K

22.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 ₱266

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-23.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 ₱442

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-19.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 ₱97.1

$2.34 COP 8,349

-32.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.51 ₱31.34

$1.06 COP 3,777

-51.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₱96.2

$1.50 COP 5,374

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ₱104

$1.38 COP 4,924

22.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$1.15 COP 4,111

148.70%

Onion (1kg)

$4.16 ₱256

$1.16 COP 4,155

258.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 ₱96.3

$0.89 COP 3,182

75.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₱64.2

$0.84 COP 2,997

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱196

$2.28 COP 8,145

39.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.92 ₱550

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-16.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱95.3

$1.20 COP 4,284

28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱122

$2.47 COP 8,824

-19.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.84

$0.86 COP 3,056

-69.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.63

$1.47 COP 5,264

-47.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.53

$1.96 COP 7,009

-88.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₱135

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-71.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$0.95 COP 3,409

14.74%

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

$25.4K ₱1.6M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

40.17%

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

$20.4K ₱1.3M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-23.08%

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

$94.5 ₱5,826

$82.3 COP 293.7K

14.88%

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

$33.54 ₱2,068

$9.50 COP 33.9K

253.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.99 ₱1,849

$24.23 COP 86.5K

23.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.24 ₱2,111

$25.89 COP 92.4K

32.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 ₱277

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-76.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 ₱426

$3.93 COP 14.0K

75.83%

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

$81.2 ₱5,005

$309 COP 1.1M

-73.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,818 ₱173.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-52.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.30 ₱1,992

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-44.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.26 ₱1,804

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-9.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 ₱5,998

$103 COP 366.4K

-5.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 ₱5,719

$108 COP 387.2K

-14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₱16.7K

$476 COP 1.7M

-43.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

-52.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 ₱35.7K

$838 COP 3.0M

-30.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 ₱24.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

-44.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,557 ₱157.7K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-8.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,067 ₱65.8K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-11.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $271 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $476 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. Groceries tell a different story – $191 in Santa Cruz, Laguna vs $188 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

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 Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,107 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna and $1,519 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, Laguna, where all-in costs run around $738, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.