Cost of Living Comparison Between Chilanga and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chilanga and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $652 in Chilanga versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $976 in Chilanga versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,301 in Chilanga versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Chilanga costs roughly 37% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chilanga 51% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 ZMW 130

$6.16 COP 20.1K

15.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 ZMW 460

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-22.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.69 ZMW 67.1

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-49.73%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ZMW 37.01

$1.72 COP 5,599

18.02%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.28

$1.05 COP 3,420

-30.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZMW 6.60

$0.77 COP 2,515

-53.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

$1.69 COP 5,487

-45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ZMW 31.94

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-44.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ZMW 23.30

$1.05 COP 3,423

21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ZMW 13.74

$1.30 COP 4,236

-42.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.09

$1.40 COP 4,544

14.29%

Eggs

$1.76 ZMW 32.11

$2.16 COP 7,046

-18.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 ZMW 139

$4.39 COP 14.3K

74.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ZMW 68.9

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-35.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.64 ZMW 84.4

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-46.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 ZMW 47.14

$2.28 COP 7,425

13.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.09

$1.11 COP 3,603

44.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 ZMW 51.3

$1.53 COP 4,982

84.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZMW 20.55

$1.35 COP 4,410

-16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 ZMW 33.45

$1.13 COP 3,674

62.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 24.08

$1.13 COP 3,692

16.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ZMW 15.66

$0.85 COP 2,753

1.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.40

$0.91 COP 2,975

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 ZMW 44.87

$2.34 COP 7,629

5.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 ZMW 195

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.52

$1.20 COP 3,909

-5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 27.70

$2.49 COP 8,104

-38.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ZMW 48.92

$1.42 COP 4,623

89.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 ZMW 171

$7.66 COP 24.9K

22.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.52

$0.99 COP 3,223

25.25%

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

$8,084 ZMW 147.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-55.16%

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

$28.3K ZMW 514.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

6.20%

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

$91.9 ZMW 1,672

$80.8 COP 263.1K

13.67%

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

$52.2 ZMW 950

$9.95 COP 32.4K

424.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,311

$24.18 COP 78.7K

425.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 ZMW 77.0

$3.98 COP 13.0K

6.28%

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

$180 ZMW 3,271

$305 COP 993.4K

-41.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,457 ZMW 172.1K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

56.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.57 ZMW 338

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-68.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.71 ZMW 304

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-48.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 ZMW 1,521

$101 COP 327.9K

-17.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ZMW 1,308

$108 COP 350.8K

-33.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

86.15%

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

Last update for Chilanga: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Chilanga vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $193 per month, with Chilanga 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

Chilanga vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chilanga and Medellin differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($652 vs $1,031 including rent). Chilanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $977 in Chilanga and $1,546 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $180 in Chilanga versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chilanga – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $652 in Chilanga versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilanga but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chilanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Chilanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.