Cost of Living Comparison Between Chico, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chico, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,516 in Chico, CA versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,948 in Chico, CA versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,380 in Chico, CA versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Chico, CA is roughly 53% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chico, CA 82% above, Medellin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.07 $25.07

$8.04 COP 24.8K

211.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 $50.2

$48.29 COP 148.6K

3.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.02 $12.02

$9.42 COP 29.0K

27.60%

Cappuccino

$5.36 $5.36

$2.94 COP 9,040

82.31%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$1.86 COP 5,735

43.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.46 COP 4,479

47.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 $7.72

$3.21 COP 9,882

140.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$5.71 COP 17.6K

43.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.44 COP 4,428

-22.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.40 COP 7,389

30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.70 COP 5,228

109.41%

Eggs

$4.83 $4.83

$2.89 COP 8,896

67.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$10.06 COP 30.9K

10.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.11 $12.11

$9.97 COP 30.7K

21.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.72 $15.72

$14.20 COP 43.7K

10.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$3.98 COP 12.3K

40.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.58 COP 4,878

41.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.15 COP 6,624

82.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$2.30 COP 7,078

134.78%

Potato (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.00 COP 6,169

147.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.51 COP 4,646

107.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.20 COP 3,701

105.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.28 COP 3,946

92.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 $8.13

$3.84 COP 11.8K

111.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.14 $12.14

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-13.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.71 COP 5,256

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.74 COP 8,440

83.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.25 COP 3,834

134.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.62 $34.62

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-55.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.31 COP 4,016

141.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.17 COP 6,680

8.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.63 $39.63

$8.29 COP 25.5K

378.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.36 COP 4,172

-2.94%

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

$38.0K $38.0K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

38.42%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-29.61%

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

$187 $187

$169 COP 519.2K

10.67%

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

$49.66 $49.66

$13.57 COP 41.8K

265.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 $68.6

$28.32 COP 87.2K

142.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 $75.3

$45.71 COP 140.7K

64.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 $13.20

$6.65 COP 20.5K

98.50%

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

$1,818 $1,818

$803 COP 2.5M

126.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.0K $38.0K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

312.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 $51.4

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-41.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.96 $31.96

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-46.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 $70.4

$139 COP 427.5K

-49.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 $98.7

$102 COP 314.0K

-3.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 $1,514

$1,071 COP 3.3M

41.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 $1,121

$653 COP 2.0M

71.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,843 $2,843

$1,925 COP 5.9M

47.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,615 $2,615

$1,048 COP 3.2M

149.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,285 $3,285

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-20.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,985 $2,985

$1,697 COP 5.2M

75.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,875 $3,875

$655 COP 2.0M

491.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

10.94

-44.24%

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

Last update for Chico, CA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,514 in Chico, CA and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 492% 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: $50.0 in Chico, CA vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $300 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

Chico, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 492% higher in Chico, CA, 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: $1,514 in Chico, CA versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $50.0 in Chico, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,516 per month in Chico, CA versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,516 in Chico, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Chico, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chico, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Chico, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.