Cost of Living Comparison Between Chimbote and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chimbote and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $18.18 in Chimbote versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $29.00 in Chimbote versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $39.40 in Chimbote versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Chimbote costs roughly 98% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chimbote 99% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 PEN 3.08

$0.79 COP 2,859

11.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 PEN 4.80

$1.44 COP 5,223

-4.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 PEN 9.58

$1.91 COP 6,952

42.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 PEN 9.49

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-66.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Chimbote: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

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

Chimbote vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chimbote is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 5585% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $27.27 in Chimbote and $1,550 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.

At $18.18 in Chimbote versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chimbote but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chimbote the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chimbote is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chimbote and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chimbote gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5585% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.