Cost of Living Comparison Between Chimaltenango and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chimaltenango and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $741 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,217 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,693 per month in Chimaltenango vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Chimaltenango is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chimaltenango and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Chimaltenango 45% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 Q 40.77

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-13.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.23 Q 375

$32.60 COP 106.1K

51.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.50 Q 49.57

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-11.44%

Cappuccino

$3.27 Q 24.91

$1.72 COP 5,600

90.12%

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

$1.18 Q 8.96

$1.05 COP 3,420

12.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 Q 7.42

$0.77 COP 2,515

25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 Q 25.09

$1.69 COP 5,488

94.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 Q 34.64

$3.17 COP 10.3K

43.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 Q 15.66

$1.05 COP 3,423

95.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 Q 23.90

$1.30 COP 4,236

140.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 Q 16.07

$1.40 COP 4,544

50.71%

Eggs

$2.57 Q 19.56

$2.16 COP 7,047

18.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 Q 58.3

$4.39 COP 14.3K

74.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 Q 65.7

$5.88 COP 19.1K

46.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.71 Q 89.3

$8.64 COP 28.1K

35.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 Q 26.71

$2.28 COP 7,426

53.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.67

$1.11 COP 3,604

37.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 Q 23.30

$1.53 COP 4,983

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 Q 13.97

$1.35 COP 4,410

35.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 Q 13.55

$1.13 COP 3,674

57.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Q 17.65

$1.13 COP 3,692

104.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Q 5.60

$0.85 COP 2,753

-14.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 Q 8.98

$0.91 COP 2,975

29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 Q 28.52

$2.34 COP 7,630

59.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.19 Q 62.5

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-33.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 Q 12.27

$1.20 COP 3,909

34.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 Q 19.03

$2.49 COP 8,104

0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 Q 40.80

$1.42 COP 4,623

276.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 Q 4.64

$1.92 COP 6,235

-68.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.93 Q 121

$7.66 COP 24.9K

107.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 Q 8.20

$0.99 COP 3,223

9.09%

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

$19.5K Q 148.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

8.24%

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

$24.7K Q 188.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-7.10%

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

$80.0 Q 610

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-1.04%

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

$26.77 Q 204

$9.95 COP 32.4K

169.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.01 Q 374

$24.18 COP 78.7K

102.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 Q 53.7

$3.98 COP 13.0K

76.88%

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

$245 Q 1,870

$305 COP 993.5K

-19.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,694 Q 43.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-6.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 Q 385

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-13.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 Q 403

$32.20 COP 104.8K

64.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 Q 875

$101 COP 327.9K

13.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 Q 926

$108 COP 350.8K

12.77%

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 %)

8.9

13.43

-33.73%

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

Last update for Chimaltenango: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Chimaltenango versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chimaltenango vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 39% more than Chimaltenango, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,112 per month in Chimaltenango and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Chimaltenango and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 43% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chimaltenango, where all-in costs run around $741, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Chimaltenango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chimaltenango costs $741 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chimaltenango. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.