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 $635 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $974 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,313 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Cruz, Laguna is about 61% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santa Cruz, Laguna sits 54% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.64 ₱102

$8.04 COP 25.0K

-79.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.96 ₱497

$48.29 COP 149.9K

-83.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.77 ₱173

$9.42 COP 29.3K

-70.59%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₱111

$2.94 COP 9,120

-39.46%

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

$0.42 ₱26.14

$1.86 COP 5,786

-77.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ₱14.30

$1.46 COP 4,519

-84.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₱64.0

$3.21 COP 9,969

-67.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₱57.8

$5.71 COP 17.7K

-83.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ₱102

$1.44 COP 4,467

13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱69.7

$2.40 COP 7,454

-53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱58.6

$1.70 COP 5,274

-44.71%

Eggs

$1.56 ₱97.1

$2.89 COP 8,975

-46.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.75 ₱296

$10.06 COP 31.2K

-52.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ₱218

$9.97 COP 31.0K

-64.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.29 ₱455

$14.20 COP 44.1K

-48.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ₱92.4

$3.98 COP 12.4K

-62.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.50 ₱31.15

$1.58 COP 4,921

-68.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ₱91.9

$2.15 COP 6,682

-31.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₱67.2

$2.30 COP 7,141

-53.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 ₱106

$2.00 COP 6,223

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 ₱109

$1.51 COP 4,687

15.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ₱39.03

$1.20 COP 3,734

-47.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.86

$1.28 COP 3,981

-58.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₱186

$3.84 COP 11.9K

-22.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.65 ₱539

$14.01 COP 43.5K

-38.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₱57.9

$1.71 COP 5,302

-45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱126

$2.74 COP 8,515

-26.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.51

$1.25 COP 3,868

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.30 ₱705

$77.9 COP 241.9K

-85.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.17

$1.31 COP 4,052

-39.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.59

$2.17 COP 6,739

-88.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱118

$8.29 COP 25.8K

-77.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱75.6

$1.36 COP 4,209

-11.03%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$27.5K COP 85.3M

-23.34%

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

$19.2K ₱1.2M

$36.5K COP 113.4M

-47.46%

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

$87.6 ₱5,460

$169 COP 523.8K

-48.11%

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

$17.87 ₱1,114

$13.57 COP 42.1K

31.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 ₱1,444

$28.32 COP 87.9K

-18.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.24 ₱2,011

$45.71 COP 141.9K

-29.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.72 ₱294

$17.22 COP 53.5K

-72.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 ₱333

$6.65 COP 20.6K

-19.70%

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

$132 ₱8,260

$803 COP 2.5M

-83.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₱668.8K

$9,190 COP 28.5M

16.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.47 ₱1,838

$87.4 COP 271.2K

-66.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.28 ₱1,202

$59.4 COP 184.3K

-67.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 ₱4,419

$139 COP 431.3K

-48.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 ₱3,499

$102 COP 316.8K

-45.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 ₱17.0K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-74.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.9K

$653 COP 2.0M

-73.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.2K

$1,925 COP 6.0M

-74.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₱22.1K

$1,048 COP 3.3M

-66.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,640 ₱164.6K

$4,123 COP 12.8M

-35.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,024 ₱63.9K

$1,697 COP 5.3M

-39.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

10.94

-38.30%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $273 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $1,071 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 $8.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $300 – 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 158%, 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 $953 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna and $2,462 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 $8.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna 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 $635 in Santa Cruz, Laguna and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, Laguna, where all-in costs run around $635, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.