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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,111 per month in Chaves vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,677 per month in Chaves vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,242 per month in Chaves vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Chaves is about 35% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chaves sits 19% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 €6.95

$8.03 COP 25.1K

0.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.81 €19.63

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-52.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 €7.09

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-15.76%

Cappuccino

$1.59 €1.37

$2.91 COP 9,095

-45.36%

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

$1.52 €1.31

$1.94 COP 6,074

-21.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 €0.52

$1.52 COP 4,754

-59.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 €1.95

$3.09 COP 9,663

-26.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-51.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 €0.87

$1.36 COP 4,262

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 €1.03

$2.39 COP 7,460

-50.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.70 COP 5,314

-30.59%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.73

$2.87 COP 8,967

10.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.45 €5.55

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-35.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 €5.99

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-35.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 €9.43

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-25.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-72.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.57 COP 4,911

-28.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 €1.01

$2.13 COP 6,642

-45.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.21 COP 6,917

-46.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.05 COP 6,396

2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.50 COP 4,700

-20.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.19 COP 3,718

21.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$1.16 COP 3,619

-22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 €5.12

$3.90 COP 12.2K

52.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.10 €3.53

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-71.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.98

$1.58 COP 4,948

-28.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$2.83 COP 8,836

-58.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.17 COP 3,650

-23.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.07 €25.01

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-62.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.18 €3.59

$1.28 COP 4,014

226.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 €0.59

$2.09 COP 6,537

-67.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.41 €17.56

$8.62 COP 26.9K

136.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.30 COP 4,056

60.77%

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

$34.7K €29.8K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

25.31%

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

$39.6K €34.1K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

11.54%

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

$138 €119

$176 COP 550.1K

-21.39%

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

$18.35 €15.79

$13.37 COP 41.8K

37.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.35 €28.70

$29.89 COP 93.4K

11.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.66 €22.94

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-40.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 €4.95

$17.06 COP 53.3K

-66.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 €6.68

$6.20 COP 19.4K

25.16%

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

$237 €204

$793 COP 2.5M

-70.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,777 €3,250

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-58.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €62.9

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-14.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.98 €19.77

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-60.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 €57.6

$136 COP 425.9K

-50.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 €81.1

$103 COP 322.2K

-8.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 €435

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-52.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 €333

$680 COP 2.1M

-42.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 €848

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-51.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 €664

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-33.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 €1,675

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-52.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,491 €1,283

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-12.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,044 €898

$665 COP 2.1M

56.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-72.58%

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

Last update for Chaves: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $505 in Chaves versus $1,060 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 57% higher in Chaves, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Chaves versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $303 – making Chaves 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

Chaves vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 54% more than Chaves, 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 $1,667 per month in Chaves and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 167% less in Chaves. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $237 per month in Chaves and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chaves, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Chaves it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chaves costs $1,111 versus $1,716 in Medellin. 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 Chaves. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.