Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaves and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaves and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,580 per month in Chaves vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,240 per month in Chaves vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,901 per month in Chaves vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Chaves costs about 55% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chaves sits 18% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.99 €7.00

$5.93 COP 19.0K

34.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.21 €20.33

$33.12 COP 106.0K

-29.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 €6.97

$7.12 COP 22.8K

11.80%

Cappuccino

$1.71 €1.49

$1.71 COP 5,457

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

$1.72 €1.50

$1.05 COP 3,356

63.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$0.72 COP 2,311

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 €1.98

$1.72 COP 5,502

31.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 €3.11

$3.17 COP 10.2K

11.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.06 COP 3,408

2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 €1.50

$1.31 COP 4,192

30.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.33 COP 4,256

44.36%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.71

$2.28 COP 7,298

35.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 €9.96

$4.42 COP 14.1K

157.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 €7.04

$5.92 COP 18.9K

35.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 €12.52

$8.64 COP 27.7K

65.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 €2.19

$2.34 COP 7,504

6.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 €1.33

$1.10 COP 3,527

38.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.47 COP 4,698

34.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 €2.62

$1.38 COP 4,415

116.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 €1.19

$1.17 COP 3,754

16.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 €1.65

$1.17 COP 3,744

60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.45

$0.90 COP 2,890

84.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.84 COP 2,693

13.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 €5.31

$2.33 COP 7,449

160.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.88 €3.40

$11.92 COP 38.1K

-67.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €1.01

$1.15 COP 3,673

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 €2.27

$2.42 COP 7,749

7.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €2.04

$0.84 COP 2,687

176.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.47 €37.21

$40.83 COP 130.7K

4.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 €3.47

$1.41 COP 4,517

181.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 €1.09

$1.91 COP 6,127

-35.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.22 €12.46

$7.83 COP 25.0K

81.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.67

$0.94 COP 3,020

103.19%

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

$38.2K €33.5K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

114.48%

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

$38.8K €34.0K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

43.41%

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

$133 €116

$83.3 COP 266.4K

59.62%

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

$21.68 €18.99

$9.66 COP 30.9K

124.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.80 €37.50

$24.22 COP 77.5K

76.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.31 €38.82

$25.22 COP 80.7K

75.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.90 €5.17

$19.33 COP 61.9K

-69.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 €6.12

$4.07 COP 13.0K

71.74%

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

$351 €308

$307 COP 981.2K

14.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,181 €7,168

$5,981 COP 19.1M

36.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 €65.6

$60.0 COP 191.9K

24.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.71 €19.90

$32.65 COP 104.5K

-30.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 €61.9

$101 COP 323.5K

-30.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 €70.5

$108 COP 345.7K

-25.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$929 €814

$476 COP 1.5M

95.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 €651

$379 COP 1.2M

96.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 €1,314

$816 COP 2.6M

83.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 €1,000

$707 COP 2.3M

61.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 €1,687

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-39.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,472 €1,290

$1,446 COP 4.6M

1.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,034 €906

$622 COP 2.0M

66.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

13.43

-59.57%

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

Last update for Chaves: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $929 in Chaves versus $476 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 66% higher in Chaves, 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 $23.00 in Chaves versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Chaves vs $192 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

Chaves vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chaves costs about 55% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,370 per month in Chaves and $1,527 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.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $351 per month in Chaves and $307 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 $1,018, than in Chaves at $1,580. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chaves it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,018 versus $1,580 in Chaves. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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