Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaguanas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaguanas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,295 in Chaguanas versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Chaguanas versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,779 in Chaguanas versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Chaguanas is roughly 28% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chaguanas 3% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 TTD 50.6

$5.99 COP 21.4K

25.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.4 TTD 606

$32.86 COP 117.4K

175.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.33 TTD 49.08

$7.09 COP 25.3K

3.39%

Cappuccino

$3.11 TTD 20.87

$1.71 COP 6,115

81.87%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.30

$1.10 COP 3,924

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 TTD 5.45

$0.78 COP 2,781

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 TTD 12.62

$1.68 COP 5,997

11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.34

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-10.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 TTD 17.30

$1.09 COP 3,906

136.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 TTD 15.37

$1.26 COP 4,508

81.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.59

$1.38 COP 4,922

90.58%

Eggs

$4.00 TTD 26.82

$2.19 COP 7,827

82.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 TTD 53.4

$4.40 COP 15.7K

81.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.98 TTD 60.2

$5.63 COP 20.1K

59.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 TTD 84.4

$8.89 COP 31.8K

41.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 TTD 31.58

$2.34 COP 8,349

101.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 TTD 16.96

$1.06 COP 3,777

138.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 TTD 23.67

$1.50 COP 5,374

135.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 TTD 29.78

$1.38 COP 4,924

222.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 TTD 9.88

$1.15 COP 4,111

28.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.22

$1.16 COP 4,155

43.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 TTD 10.03

$0.89 COP 3,182

68.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 TTD 8.53

$0.84 COP 2,997

51.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 TTD 31.45

$2.28 COP 8,145

105.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.38 TTD 123

$10.64 COP 38.0K

72.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.69

$1.20 COP 4,284

82.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 TTD 18.90

$2.47 COP 8,824

14.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 TTD 8.28

$0.86 COP 3,056

44.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.73

$1.47 COP 5,264

-31.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 TTD 7.10

$1.96 COP 7,009

-45.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.02 TTD 101

$7.74 COP 27.6K

94.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 TTD 6.46

$0.95 COP 3,409

1.05%

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

$32.7K TTD 219.3K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

80.53%

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

$36.3K TTD 243.2K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

37.08%

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

$81.2 TTD 544

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-1.25%

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

$46.40 TTD 311

$9.50 COP 33.9K

388.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 TTD 346

$24.23 COP 86.5K

113.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.73 TTD 293

$25.89 COP 92.4K

68.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.13 TTD 195

$19.00 COP 67.9K

53.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.94 TTD 59.9

$3.93 COP 14.0K

127.48%

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

$321 TTD 2,148

$309 COP 1.1M

3.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,275 TTD 48.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

21.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 TTD 374

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-4.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.61 TTD 259

$32.35 COP 115.5K

19.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 TTD 906

$103 COP 366.4K

31.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 TTD 781

$108 COP 387.2K

7.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 TTD 2,884

$476 COP 1.7M

-9.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 TTD 2,525

$379 COP 1.4M

-0.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 TTD 4,214

$838 COP 3.0M

-24.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 TTD 3,608

$724 COP 2.6M

-25.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$784 TTD 5,250

$512 COP 1.8M

53.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

13.43

-59.94%

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

Last update for Chaguanas: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chaguanas and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chaguanas pays 53% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $90.0 in Chaguanas vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Chaguanas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Chaguanas. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Chaguanas pays 53% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Chaguanas versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Chaguanas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,295 per month in Chaguanas versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,295 in Chaguanas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Chaguanas. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chaguanas and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Chaguanas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.