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: $1,041 in Chillan versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,531 in Chillan versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,020 in Chillan versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Chillan is roughly 4% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chillan 22% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 CLP 5,104

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-7.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.86 CLP 25.0K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-18.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 CLP 5,737

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-16.96%

Cappuccino

$2.96 CLP 2,754

$1.65 COP 5,207

79.39%

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

$0.92 CLP 853

$1.10 COP 3,468

-16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 877

$0.78 COP 2,458

20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 CLP 3,349

$1.72 COP 5,412

109.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 CLP 3,942

$3.18 COP 10.0K

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 CLP 1,025

$1.10 COP 3,474

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 CLP 1,640

$1.26 COP 3,962

39.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 CLP 1,777

$1.38 COP 4,349

38.41%

Eggs

$3.91 CLP 3,636

$2.18 COP 6,858

79.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.75 CLP 7,210

$4.49 COP 14.1K

72.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 CLP 6,257

$5.79 COP 18.2K

16.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 CLP 10.2K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

21.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,743

$2.32 COP 7,308

-19.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,413

$1.06 COP 3,352

43.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,436

$1.52 COP 4,774

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,408

$1.36 COP 4,270

11.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 CLP 1,200

$1.13 COP 3,552

14.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,320

$1.17 COP 3,689

21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,180

$0.90 COP 2,838

41.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,130

$0.90 COP 2,823

34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 CLP 4,982

$2.23 COP 7,034

139.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.49 CLP 3,251

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-71.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,434

$1.19 COP 3,743

29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,072

$2.48 COP 7,815

-10.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 CLP 624

$0.85 COP 2,687

-21.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 474

$1.42 COP 4,459

-64.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CLP 1,257

$0.99 COP 3,118

36.36%

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

$12.9K CLP 12.0M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

-26.56%

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

$15.8K CLP 14.7M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-41.16%

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

$134 CLP 124.8K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

61.61%

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

$13.47 CLP 12.5K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

38.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 CLP 22.5K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

2.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.76 CLP 15.6K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-33.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.91 CLP 19.5K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

9.48%

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 CLP 11.2K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

206.08%

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

$432 CLP 402.0K

$316 COP 994.2K

36.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-15.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.90 CLP 27.8K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-6.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.5 CLP 46.9K

$102 COP 320.1K

-50.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 CLP 61.8K

$107 COP 338.3K

-38.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 CLP 441.9K

$475 COP 1.5M

0.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 CLP 353.4K

$374 COP 1.2M

1.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 CLP 426.8K

$849 COP 2.7M

-45.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 CLP 544.1K

$719 COP 2.3M

-18.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,520 CLP 2.3M

$1,441 COP 4.5M

74.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$698 CLP 649.3K

$624 COP 2.0M

11.74%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Chillan and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chillan pays 12% 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: $27.00 in Chillan vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $193, 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 4% in total monthly costs ($1,041 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Chillan, 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: $475 in Chillan versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Chillan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,041 per month in Chillan versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,041 in Chillan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Chillan. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Chillan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.