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: $1,047 in Chillan versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,504 in Chillan versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,961 in Chillan versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Chillan is roughly 3% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chillan 22% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 CLP 4,961

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-7.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.29 CLP 24.5K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-18.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 CLP 5,661

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-12.86%

Cappuccino

$3.10 CLP 2,788

$1.63 COP 5,687

90.18%

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

$0.94 CLP 847

$1.09 COP 3,821

-13.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 CLP 877

$0.73 COP 2,548

34.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 CLP 3,350

$1.74 COP 6,065

114.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CLP 3,767

$3.23 COP 11.3K

29.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 CLP 1,027

$1.05 COP 3,662

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 CLP 1,601

$1.29 COP 4,515

37.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 CLP 1,666

$1.32 COP 4,617

40.15%

Eggs

$3.83 CLP 3,440

$2.27 COP 7,927

68.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 CLP 6,884

$4.35 COP 15.2K

76.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 CLP 6,101

$5.88 COP 20.5K

15.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 CLP 9,822

$8.61 COP 30.0K

26.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,652

$2.25 COP 7,844

-18.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,360

$1.07 COP 3,733

41.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,434

$1.52 COP 5,322

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CLP 1,314

$1.42 COP 4,964

2.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 CLP 1,166

$1.17 COP 4,084

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,216

$1.17 COP 4,077

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,140

$0.89 COP 3,096

42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,092

$0.90 COP 3,146

35.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.54 CLP 4,980

$2.25 COP 7,837

146.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.48 CLP 3,123

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-68.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CLP 1,445

$1.14 COP 3,977

41.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CLP 1,997

$2.38 COP 8,301

-6.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 564

$0.84 COP 2,916

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 426

$1.41 COP 4,912

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,229

$1.01 COP 3,509

35.64%

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

$12.6K CLP 11.3M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-28.36%

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

$15.4K CLP 13.9M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-41.78%

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

$135 CLP 121.4K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

61.45%

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

$13.40 CLP 12.0K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

41.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.46 CLP 22.0K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

1.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.19 CLP 14.5K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-36.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.58 CLP 19.4K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

12.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.75 CLP 10.6K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

186.59%

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

$439 CLP 394.1K

$312 COP 1.1M

40.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 CLP 45.8K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-12.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.24 CLP 27.2K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-7.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.0 CLP 46.7K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-47.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 CLP 61.4K

$109 COP 378.8K

-37.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 CLP 437.9K

$482 COP 1.7M

1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 335.4K

$379 COP 1.3M

-1.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 CLP 416.5K

$837 COP 2.9M

-44.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 CLP 536.6K

$723 COP 2.5M

-17.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,621 CLP 2.4M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

114.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$696 CLP 625.2K

$541 COP 1.9M

28.62%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Chillan and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chillan pays 29% 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 $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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,047 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chillan pays 29% 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: $487 in Chillan versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Chillan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,047 per month in Chillan versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,047 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 3% less than in Chillan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.