Cost of Living Comparison Between Chillan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chillan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,023 in Chillan versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,506 in Chillan versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,990 in Chillan versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Chillan costs roughly 1% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chillan 24% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 CLP 4,943

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-6.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.86 CLP 24.1K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-17.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 CLP 5,497

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-14.72%

Cappuccino

$3.10 CLP 2,773

$1.70 COP 6,186

82.35%

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

$0.96 CLP 857

$1.10 COP 3,996

-12.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 CLP 800

$0.72 COP 2,625

23.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 CLP 3,236

$1.67 COP 6,067

116.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 CLP 3,678

$3.10 COP 11.3K

32.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 CLP 1,034

$1.06 COP 3,837

8.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 CLP 1,582

$1.25 COP 4,531

41.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,705

$1.39 COP 5,060

36.69%

Eggs

$3.74 CLP 3,350

$2.26 COP 8,229

65.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 CLP 6,843

$4.33 COP 15.8K

76.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 CLP 5,879

$5.84 COP 21.2K

12.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 CLP 9,925

$8.83 COP 32.1K

25.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,671

$2.24 COP 8,159

-16.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,361

$1.08 COP 3,911

40.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,411

$1.53 COP 5,563

3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 CLP 1,293

$1.37 COP 4,987

5.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 CLP 1,140

$1.13 COP 4,109

12.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,213

$1.12 COP 4,067

20.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 CLP 1,098

$0.85 COP 3,080

44.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,089

$0.91 COP 3,305

34.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 CLP 4,813

$2.33 COP 8,477

130.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.66 CLP 3,274

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-67.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,394

$1.19 COP 4,342

31.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CLP 2,054

$2.37 COP 8,617

-3.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 CLP 597

$0.79 COP 2,859

-15.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 450

$1.44 COP 5,223

-65.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,230

$0.94 COP 3,410

45.74%

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

$12.5K CLP 11.2M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

-29.98%

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

$15.8K CLP 14.1M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-41.17%

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

$133 CLP 119.5K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

58.90%

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

$13.30 CLP 11.9K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

38.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 CLP 22.0K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

1.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.61 CLP 14.9K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-35.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 CLP 18.8K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

9.98%

Cinema Ticket

$12.07 CLP 10.8K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

207.91%

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

$428 CLP 383.4K

$306 COP 1.1M

39.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 CLP 46.2K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-10.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.72 CLP 26.6K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-6.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.2 CLP 44.9K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-49.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.2 CLP 60.2K

$107 COP 389.7K

-37.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 CLP 433.7K

$487 COP 1.8M

-0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 CLP 329.2K

$368 COP 1.3M

-0.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 CLP 416.2K

$826 COP 3.0M

-43.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 CLP 527.2K

$716 COP 2.6M

-17.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,579 CLP 2.3M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

83.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 CLP 655.9K

$546 COP 2.0M

34.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

13.43

-61.43%

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

Last update for Chillan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chillan and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chillan pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Chillan vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chillan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chillan and Medellin differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,023 vs $1,034 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chillan pays 34% more on average, 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: $484 in Chillan versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,023 per month in Chillan versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,023 in Chillan versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chillan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chillan 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 Chillan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.