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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,062 per month in Castro vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,654 per month in Castro vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,247 per month in Castro vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Castro costs about 6% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Castro and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Castro 20% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 CLP 7,935

$5.91 COP 18.6K

44.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.60 CLP 41.5K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

35.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 CLP 7,319

$7.43 COP 23.4K

5.92%

Cappuccino

$2.81 CLP 2,616

$1.65 COP 5,207

70.30%

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

$1.36 CLP 1,270

$1.10 COP 3,468

23.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 947

$0.78 COP 2,458

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 CLP 3,050

$1.72 COP 5,412

90.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 CLP 3,934

$3.18 COP 10.0K

33.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 CLP 1,054

$1.10 COP 3,474

2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,400

$1.26 COP 3,962

19.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 CLP 1,292

$1.38 COP 4,349

0.72%

Eggs

$4.33 CLP 4,029

$2.18 COP 6,858

98.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 CLP 9,631

$4.49 COP 14.1K

130.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 CLP 3,959

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-26.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.66 CLP 8,060

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-3.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 CLP 1,328

$2.32 COP 7,308

-38.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 CLP 2,227

$1.06 COP 3,352

125.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,536

$1.52 COP 4,774

8.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 CLP 1,932

$1.36 COP 4,270

52.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 CLP 1,136

$1.13 COP 3,552

7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,271

$1.17 COP 3,689

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 CLP 1,166

$0.90 COP 2,838

38.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,140

$0.90 COP 2,823

35.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 CLP 5,080

$2.23 COP 7,034

144.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 CLP 7,460

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-33.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CLP 1,503

$1.19 COP 3,743

36.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CLP 2,069

$2.48 COP 7,815

-10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 CLP 694

$0.85 COP 2,687

-11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 445

$1.42 COP 4,459

-66.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,284

$0.99 COP 3,118

39.39%

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

$19.3K CLP 18.0M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

9.86%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.8M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-20.54%

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

$129 CLP 120.4K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

55.90%

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

$13.50 CLP 12.6K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

39.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.55 CLP 20.1K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-8.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.90 CLP 36.2K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

54.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.11 CLP 19.6K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

10.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 CLP 5,363

$3.95 COP 12.4K

45.82%

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

$441 CLP 410.0K

$316 COP 994.2K

39.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 CLP 47.0K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-15.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.40 CLP 28.3K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-4.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 CLP 57.8K

$102 COP 320.1K

-38.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 CLP 78.0K

$107 COP 338.3K

-22.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 CLP 440.5K

$475 COP 1.5M

-0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 CLP 341.3K

$374 COP 1.2M

-1.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 CLP 835.7K

$849 COP 2.7M

5.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 CLP 572.5K

$719 COP 2.3M

-14.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 CLP 598.2K

$624 COP 2.0M

2.95%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Castro versus $475 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 3% 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 $45.00 in Castro versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $193 – 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 6% 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 $1,593 per month in Castro and $1,504 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 $1,062 in Castro and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $441 per month in Castro and $316 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 $1,003, than in Castro at $1,062. 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 $1,003 versus $1,062 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.