Cost of Living Comparison Between Zamboanga and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Zamboanga and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $754 per month in Zamboanga vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,077 per month in Zamboanga vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,400 per month in Zamboanga vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Zamboanga is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 ₱94.9

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-73.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.46 ₱579

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-71.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.61 ₱160

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-63.75%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ₱106

$1.70 COP 6,186

1.18%

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

$0.97 ₱59.3

$1.10 COP 3,996

-11.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₱27.05

$0.72 COP 2,625

-38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ₱77.9

$1.67 COP 6,067

-23.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱105

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-44.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ₱124

$1.06 COP 3,837

90.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ₱96.8

$1.25 COP 4,531

26.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ₱78.6

$1.39 COP 5,060

-7.91%

Eggs

$1.65 ₱101

$2.26 COP 8,229

-26.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 ₱683

$4.33 COP 15.8K

157.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 ₱281

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-21.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.64 ₱223

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-58.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ₱210

$2.24 COP 8,159

53.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 ₱83.8

$1.08 COP 3,911

26.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 ₱254

$1.53 COP 5,563

171.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 ₱167

$1.37 COP 4,987

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ₱85.7

$1.13 COP 4,109

23.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 ₱176

$1.12 COP 4,067

157.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ₱59.7

$0.85 COP 3,080

15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.09

$0.91 COP 3,305

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 ₱186

$2.33 COP 8,477

30.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.24 ₱260

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-61.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₱87.3

$1.19 COP 4,342

20.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₱141

$2.37 COP 8,617

-2.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱14.75

$0.79 COP 2,859

-69.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱52.6

$1.44 COP 5,223

-40.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.70

$1.91 COP 6,952

-87.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱133

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-72.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱77.7

$0.94 COP 3,410

35.11%

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

$27.1K ₱1.7M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

51.13%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-23.46%

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

$163 ₱9,997

$84.0 COP 305.4K

94.62%

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

$47.67 ₱2,917

$9.60 COP 34.9K

396.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 ₱3,305

$24.16 COP 87.9K

123.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.85 ₱2,438

$25.88 COP 94.1K

53.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 ₱270

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-76.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 ₱444

$3.92 COP 14.2K

85.20%

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

$52.4 ₱3,203

$306 COP 1.1M

-82.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,246 ₱76.2K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-78.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.05 ₱1,533

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-56.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.80 ₱1,639

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-15.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 ₱5,460

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-10.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 ₱3,729

$107 COP 389.7K

-43.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₱8,650

$487 COP 1.8M

-70.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.5 ₱4,252

$368 COP 1.3M

-81.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 ₱22.4K

$826 COP 3.0M

-55.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 ₱8,535

$716 COP 2.6M

-80.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,691 ₱164.6K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-8.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 ₱12.0K

$546 COP 2.0M

-64.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.65%

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

Last update for Zamboanga: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $141 in Zamboanga versus $487 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 178% higher in Medellin, 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 $9.00 in Zamboanga versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $211 in Zamboanga vs $190 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

Zamboanga vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,131 per month in Zamboanga and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zamboanga, 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 Zamboanga 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 11% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zamboanga, where all-in costs run around $754, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Zamboanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zamboanga – 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 Zamboanga. 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.