Cost of Living Comparison Between Chingola and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chingola and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $340 in Chingola versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $580 in Chingola versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $820 in Chingola versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Chingola costs roughly 66% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chingola 75% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.64 ZMW 226

$5.99 COP 21.4K

111.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.63 ZMW 368

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-37.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

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

$0.39 ZMW 6.99

$1.10 COP 3,924

-64.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ZMW 5.37

$0.78 COP 2,781

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.52 ZMW 9.23

$1.68 COP 5,997

-69.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZMW 18.38

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-66.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 ZMW 18.41

$1.09 COP 3,906

-5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ZMW 14.76

$1.26 COP 4,508

-34.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ZMW 38.01

$1.38 COP 4,922

54.35%

Eggs

$1.09 ZMW 19.39

$2.19 COP 7,827

-50.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.02 ZMW 36.09

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-64.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.74 ZMW 66.8

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-57.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 ZMW 28.83

$2.34 COP 8,349

-30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ZMW 29.17

$1.06 COP 3,777

53.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ZMW 30.39

$1.50 COP 5,374

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ZMW 28.77

$1.38 COP 4,924

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 ZMW 43.30

$1.15 COP 4,111

111.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ZMW 21.50

$1.16 COP 4,155

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ZMW 13.13

$0.84 COP 2,997

-11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.26 ZMW 22.47

$2.28 COP 8,145

-44.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.43 ZMW 97.0

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-48.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.17

$1.20 COP 4,284

-57.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ZMW 10.63

$2.47 COP 8,824

-75.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ZMW 7.91

$1.96 COP 7,009

-77.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 ZMW 150

$7.74 COP 27.6K

8.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ZMW 21.77

$0.95 COP 3,409

28.42%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$42.04 ZMW 750

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-48.89%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.23 ZMW 147

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-68.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.28 ZMW 291

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-72.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.28 ZMW 184

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-68.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.08 ZMW 733

$103 COP 366.4K

-59.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.3 ZMW 1,111

$108 COP 387.2K

-42.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.2K ZMW 289.3K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

1237.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$121 ZMW 2,161

$512 COP 1.8M

-76.34%

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 Chingola: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 323% 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: $21.00 in Chingola vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $119 vs $188 per month, with Chingola cheaper across the board.

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

Chingola vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chingola is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 197% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 323% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $340 in Chingola versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chingola 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.

Expats usually find Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 197% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.