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: $2,581 in Chico, CA versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,914 in Chico, CA versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,246 in Chico, CA versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Chico, CA is roughly 154% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chico, CA is 93% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.66 $24.66

$5.93 COP 19.1K

315.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 $60.6

$33.12 COP 106.4K

83.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.08 $13.08

$7.12 COP 22.9K

83.71%

Cappuccino

$5.91 $5.91

$1.71 COP 5,480

245.61%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$1.05 COP 3,370

148.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.72 COP 2,321

206.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.21 $7.21

$1.72 COP 5,524

319.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.54 $8.54

$3.17 COP 10.2K

169.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.06 COP 3,422

28.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$1.31 COP 4,209

177.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.33 COP 4,273

167.67%

Eggs

$5.46 $5.46

$2.28 COP 7,328

139.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 $13.09

$4.42 COP 14.2K

196.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.46 $10.46

$5.92 COP 19.0K

76.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.21 $17.21

$8.64 COP 27.8K

99.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$2.34 COP 7,535

128.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.10 COP 3,541

97.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.47 COP 4,718

165.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$1.38 COP 4,433

297.10%

Potato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.17 COP 3,769

294.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.17 COP 3,760

195.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.90 COP 2,902

136.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.84 COP 2,704

182.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.97 $7.97

$2.33 COP 7,480

242.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 $12.23

$11.92 COP 38.3K

2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.15 COP 3,688

53.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 $5.27

$2.42 COP 7,780

117.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.84 COP 2,698

263.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.18 $35.18

$40.83 COP 131.2K

-13.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.41 COP 4,535

154.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.91 COP 6,152

6.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.63 $40.63

$7.83 COP 25.1K

418.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.94 COP 3,033

28.72%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$17.8K COP 57.3M

33.37%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$27.1K COP 87.0M

-9.58%

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

$192 $192

$83.3 COP 267.5K

130.13%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$9.66 COP 31.0K

450.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$24.22 COP 77.8K

198.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 $61.1

$25.22 COP 81.1K

142.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.1K

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$4.07 COP 13.1K

237.84%

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

$1,835 $1,835

$307 COP 985.2K

498.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.0K $38.0K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

535.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 $58.1

$60.0 COP 192.6K

-3.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.37 $31.37

$32.65 COP 104.9K

-3.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 $79.6

$101 COP 324.8K

-21.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 $96.6

$108 COP 347.2K

-10.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 $1,431

$476 COP 1.5M

200.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 $1,200

$379 COP 1.2M

216.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,717 $2,717

$816 COP 2.6M

232.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,281 $2,281

$707 COP 2.3M

222.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,172 $3,172

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-0.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,973 $2,973

$1,446 COP 4.6M

105.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,846 $3,846

$622 COP 2.0M

518.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

13.43

-51.23%

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

Last update for Chico, CA: July 22, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,431 in Chico, CA and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 519% 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: $61.0 in Chico, CA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $192 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, Getting Around. The 154% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 519% 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: $1,431 in Chico, CA versus $476 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 $33.00 versus $61.0 in Chico, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,581 per month in Chico, CA versus $1,018 in Medellin – a 154% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,018 in Medellin versus $2,581 in Chico, CA, a $1,500 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 154% less than in Chico, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.