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: $338 in Chingola versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $579 in Chingola versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $821 in Chingola versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Chingola costs roughly 67% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chingola 75% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 ZMW 222

$6.16 COP 20.1K

98.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.15 ZMW 385

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-35.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

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

$0.40 ZMW 7.22

$1.05 COP 3,420

-61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ZMW 5.48

$0.77 COP 2,515

-61.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 ZMW 8.66

$1.69 COP 5,487

-71.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ZMW 18.50

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-67.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 ZMW 18.12

$1.05 COP 3,423

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ZMW 14.89

$1.30 COP 4,236

-36.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 ZMW 38.40

$1.40 COP 4,544

50.71%

Eggs

$1.14 ZMW 20.66

$2.16 COP 7,046

-47.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.04 ZMW 37.20

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-65.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.65 ZMW 66.4

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-57.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ZMW 30.53

$2.28 COP 7,425

-26.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ZMW 30.45

$1.11 COP 3,603

50.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ZMW 29.94

$1.53 COP 4,982

7.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ZMW 30.79

$1.35 COP 4,410

25.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 ZMW 46.04

$1.13 COP 3,674

123.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 ZMW 22.21

$1.13 COP 3,692

7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ZMW 12.50

$0.91 COP 2,975

-24.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ZMW 23.05

$2.34 COP 7,629

-45.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 ZMW 103

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-54.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZMW 8.81

$1.20 COP 3,909

-60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ZMW 10.95

$2.49 COP 8,104

-75.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ZMW 8.17

$1.92 COP 6,235

-76.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.31 ZMW 151

$7.66 COP 24.9K

8.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ZMW 22.13

$0.99 COP 3,223

23.23%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$42.20 ZMW 768

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-47.78%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.08 ZMW 147

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-67.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.57 ZMW 302

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-71.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.28 ZMW 187

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-68.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.97 ZMW 746

$101 COP 327.9K

-59.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.6 ZMW 1,139

$108 COP 350.8K

-41.94%

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)

$16.9K ZMW 306.9K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

1128.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$120 ZMW 2,183

$617 COP 2.0M

-80.56%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 414% 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 $193 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 205% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 414% lower in Medellin. 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 62% 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 $338 in Chingola versus $1,031 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 205% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.