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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,091 per month in Castro vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,648 per month in Castro vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,206 per month in Castro vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Castro costs about 6% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Castro and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Castro 19% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.76 CLP 7,794

$5.92 COP 21.4K

47.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 CLP 39.3K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

35.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 CLP 7,238

$7.20 COP 26.0K

13.06%

Cappuccino

$2.86 CLP 2,542

$1.70 COP 6,140

68.24%

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

$1.37 CLP 1,217

$1.10 COP 3,966

24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 901

$0.72 COP 2,605

40.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 CLP 2,900

$1.67 COP 6,022

95.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 CLP 3,698

$3.10 COP 11.2K

34.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 CLP 971

$1.06 COP 3,809

2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CLP 1,349

$1.25 COP 4,497

21.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,220

$1.39 COP 5,022

-1.44%

Eggs

$4.42 CLP 3,928

$2.26 COP 8,168

95.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 CLP 9,082

$4.33 COP 15.6K

135.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 CLP 3,782

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-27.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.80 CLP 7,825

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-0.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,323

$2.24 COP 8,099

-33.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 CLP 2,096

$1.08 COP 3,882

118.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,465

$1.53 COP 5,522

7.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 CLP 1,866

$1.37 COP 4,950

53.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 CLP 1,062

$1.13 COP 4,078

5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,241

$1.12 COP 4,036

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 CLP 1,082

$0.85 COP 3,057

43.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CLP 1,092

$0.91 COP 3,281

35.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 CLP 4,813

$2.33 COP 8,414

132.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 CLP 7,261

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-26.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,386

$1.19 COP 4,309

31.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CLP 1,995

$2.37 COP 8,553

-5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 CLP 670

$0.79 COP 2,838

-5.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 417

$1.44 COP 5,184

-67.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,272

$0.94 COP 3,385

52.13%

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

$19.6K CLP 17.5M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

9.50%

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

$21.2K CLP 18.9M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-20.76%

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

$131 CLP 116.6K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

56.22%

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

$13.28 CLP 11.8K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

38.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.14 CLP 19.7K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-8.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.85 CLP 34.5K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

50.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.64 CLP 19.2K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

13.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 CLP 4,978

$3.92 COP 14.1K

42.86%

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

$427 CLP 380.0K

$306 COP 1.1M

39.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 CLP 45.4K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-11.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 CLP 26.9K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-4.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 CLP 54.5K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-38.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 CLP 72.5K

$107 COP 386.8K

-23.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 CLP 432.7K

$487 COP 1.8M

-0.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 328.9K

$368 COP 1.3M

0.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$887 CLP 789.1K

$826 COP 3.0M

7.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 CLP 550.7K

$716 COP 2.6M

-13.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$676 CLP 600.8K

$546 COP 2.0M

23.85%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Castro 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 24% 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: $221 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 6% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,636 per month in Castro 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 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 $1,091 in Castro and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Castro and $306 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 $1,034, than in Castro at $1,091. 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 $1,034 versus $1,091 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.