Cost of Living Comparison Between Castro and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Castro and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,060 per month in Castro vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,641 per month in Castro vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,222 per month in Castro vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Castro costs about 3% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Castro and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Castro 21% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.84 CLP 7,830

$6.00 COP 20.6K

47.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.05 CLP 39.0K

$32.84 COP 112.5K

34.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 CLP 7,161

$7.42 COP 25.4K

8.89%

Cappuccino

$2.76 CLP 2,445

$1.65 COP 5,659

67.27%

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

$1.34 CLP 1,187

$1.07 COP 3,663

25.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CLP 937

$0.76 COP 2,607

39.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 CLP 2,919

$1.72 COP 5,908

91.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 CLP 3,732

$3.20 COP 11.0K

31.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 CLP 1,004

$1.05 COP 3,597

7.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 CLP 1,293

$1.31 COP 4,479

11.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 CLP 1,180

$1.34 COP 4,591

-0.75%

Eggs

$4.30 CLP 3,805

$2.19 COP 7,521

96.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 CLP 9,082

$4.41 COP 15.1K

132.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 CLP 3,907

$5.69 COP 19.5K

-22.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.01 CLP 7,981

$8.52 COP 29.2K

5.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,328

$2.34 COP 8,023

-35.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 CLP 2,157

$1.11 COP 3,804

119.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,457

$1.52 COP 5,210

8.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 CLP 1,790

$1.37 COP 4,680

47.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,098

$1.15 COP 3,950

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,194

$1.18 COP 4,043

14.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 CLP 1,082

$0.84 COP 2,885

45.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,052

$0.86 COP 2,931

38.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.50 CLP 4,871

$2.26 COP 7,753

143.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 CLP 7,591

$11.60 COP 39.8K

-26.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,361

$1.20 COP 4,109

28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,036

$2.48 COP 8,484

-7.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 CLP 625

$0.79 COP 2,721

-10.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 446

$1.47 COP 5,023

-65.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,220

$1.01 COP 3,464

36.63%

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

$19.5K CLP 17.3M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

10.57%

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

$21.7K CLP 19.2M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-18.05%

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

$132 CLP 117.3K

$81.1 COP 277.9K

63.26%

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

$13.47 CLP 11.9K

$9.43 COP 32.3K

42.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.64 CLP 19.2K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

-9.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.89 CLP 34.5K

$25.99 COP 89.1K

49.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.67 CLP 19.2K

$18.71 COP 64.1K

15.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.71 CLP 5,062

$4.09 COP 14.0K

39.61%

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

$444 CLP 393.3K

$315 COP 1.1M

41.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.88 CLP 44.2K

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-16.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.05 CLP 26.6K

$31.97 COP 109.6K

-6.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 CLP 55.1K

$101 COP 346.9K

-38.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 CLP 72.0K

$105 COP 360.3K

-22.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 CLP 422.0K

$485 COP 1.7M

-1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 330.0K

$365 COP 1.3M

2.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 CLP 798.7K

$827 COP 2.8M

9.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 CLP 549.9K

$730 COP 2.5M

-14.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 CLP 596.2K

$551 COP 1.9M

22.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

13.43

-61.43%

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

Last update for Castro: June 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Castro versus $485 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 22% higher in Castro, 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 $44.00 in Castro versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $190 – making Medellin 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

Castro vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castro costs about 3% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,589 per month in Castro and $1,542 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,060 in Castro and $1,028 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $444 per month in Castro and $315 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Castro at $1,060. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,028 versus $1,060 in Castro. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.