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 $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $28.00 in Chimbote versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $38.19 in Chimbote versus $2,188 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 PEN 3.10

$0.84 COP 2,916

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 PEN 4.66

$1.41 COP 4,912

-2.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.78 PEN 9.46

$1.90 COP 6,634

46.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 PEN 9.70

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-63.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 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 5492% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $27.27 in Chimbote and $1,525 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 $1,017 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 5492% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.