Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,184 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,725 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,266 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Chicago, IL costs about 94% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chicago, IL and Medellin sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 131%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$8.04 COP 24.8K

151.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.8 $88.8

$48.29 COP 148.6K

83.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.16 $13.16

$9.42 COP 29.0K

39.70%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$2.94 COP 9,040

96.26%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.86 COP 5,735

41.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.46 COP 4,479

60.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$3.21 COP 9,882

119.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.18 $9.18

$5.71 COP 17.6K

60.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.44 COP 4,428

-9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.40 COP 7,389

68.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$1.70 COP 5,228

234.71%

Eggs

$4.85 $4.85

$2.89 COP 8,896

67.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 $15.08

$10.06 COP 30.9K

49.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.87 $14.87

$9.97 COP 30.7K

49.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.28 $19.28

$14.20 COP 43.7K

35.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 $5.68

$3.98 COP 12.3K

42.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.58 COP 4,878

22.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.15 COP 6,624

90.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.30 COP 7,078

122.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.00 COP 6,169

46.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.51 COP 4,646

83.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.20 COP 3,701

91.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.28 COP 3,946

137.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.93 $15.93

$3.84 COP 11.8K

314.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$14.01 COP 43.1K

7.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.71 COP 5,256

47.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.74 COP 8,440

27.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.25 COP 3,834

102.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-4.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 $3.28

$1.31 COP 4,016

150.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$2.17 COP 6,680

-37.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.55 $22.55

$8.29 COP 25.5K

172.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.36 COP 4,172

-10.29%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

31.45%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-28.89%

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

$188 $188

$169 COP 519.2K

11.68%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$13.57 COP 41.8K

408.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 $63.6

$28.32 COP 87.2K

124.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 $63.4

$45.71 COP 140.7K

38.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.11 $27.11

$17.22 COP 53.0K

57.43%

Cinema Ticket

$17.90 $17.90

$6.65 COP 20.5K

169.17%

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

$1,526 $1,526

$803 COP 2.5M

89.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

246.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 $62.1

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-28.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 $56.4

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-5.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$139 COP 427.5K

-27.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 $156

$102 COP 314.0K

53.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 $2,342

$1,071 COP 3.3M

118.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 $1,698

$653 COP 2.0M

160.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,576 $4,576

$1,925 COP 5.9M

137.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 $2,806

$1,048 COP 3.2M

167.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,130 $4,130

$4,123 COP 12.7M

0.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,740 $2,740

$1,697 COP 5.2M

61.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,891 $4,891

$655 COP 2.0M

646.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

10.94

-41.68%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,342 in Chicago, IL versus $1,071 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 647% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $465 vs $300 – 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

Chicago, IL vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,184 in Chicago, IL, $1,641 in Medellin – roughly 94% apart. Chicago, IL costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,776 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,462 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.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Chicago, IL at $3,184. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,641 in Medellin to $3,184 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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