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: $660 in Chilanga versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $978 in Chilanga versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,297 in Chilanga versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Chilanga costs roughly 35% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chilanga 51% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.16 ZMW 128

$5.99 COP 21.4K

19.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.88 ZMW 444

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-24.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.64 ZMW 65.0

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-48.66%

Cappuccino

$2.04 ZMW 36.35

$1.71 COP 6,115

19.30%

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

$0.72 ZMW 12.89

$1.10 COP 3,924

-34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.02

$0.78 COP 2,781

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ZMW 15.65

$1.68 COP 5,997

-47.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ZMW 31.58

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-42.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ZMW 23.48

$1.09 COP 3,906

21.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ZMW 13.14

$1.26 COP 4,508

-41.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.10

$1.38 COP 4,922

13.77%

Eggs

$1.80 ZMW 32.10

$2.19 COP 7,827

-17.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 ZMW 140

$4.40 COP 15.7K

78.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ZMW 70.1

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-30.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.72 ZMW 84.2

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-46.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 ZMW 46.06

$2.34 COP 8,349

10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ZMW 29.65

$1.06 COP 3,777

56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 ZMW 49.91

$1.50 COP 5,374

86.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 ZMW 19.77

$1.38 COP 4,924

-19.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 ZMW 32.65

$1.15 COP 4,111

59.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 23.63

$1.16 COP 4,155

13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

$0.89 COP 3,182

-2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ZMW 8.68

$0.84 COP 2,997

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ZMW 44.70

$2.28 COP 8,145

9.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 ZMW 198

$10.64 COP 38.0K

4.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.18

$1.20 COP 4,284

-5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ZMW 28.18

$2.47 COP 8,824

-36.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 ZMW 49.93

$1.47 COP 5,264

90.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 ZMW 167

$7.74 COP 27.6K

20.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ZMW 21.86

$0.95 COP 3,409

28.42%

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

$8,111 ZMW 144.8K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-55.26%

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

$28.1K ZMW 501.8K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

6.14%

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

$90.4 ZMW 1,614

$82.3 COP 293.7K

9.96%

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

$52.8 ZMW 943

$9.50 COP 33.9K

456.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,267

$24.23 COP 86.5K

424.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 ZMW 74.8

$3.93 COP 14.0K

6.62%

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

$180 ZMW 3,212

$309 COP 1.1M

-41.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,418 ZMW 168.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

57.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.96 ZMW 338

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-67.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.97 ZMW 303

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-47.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 ZMW 1,494

$103 COP 366.4K

-18.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.8 ZMW 1,318

$108 COP 387.2K

-31.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 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 $179 vs $188 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 54% in total monthly costs ($660 vs $1,013 including rent). Chilanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $990 in Chilanga and $1,519 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 $309 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 $660 in Chilanga versus $1,013 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 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.