Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiquimula and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiquimula and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $818 per month in Chiquimula vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,330 per month in Chiquimula vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,842 per month in Chiquimula vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Chiquimula is about 19% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiquimula and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Chiquimula 39% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 Q 64.9

$5.99 COP 21.4K

42.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 Q 398

$32.86 COP 117.4K

59.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 Q 68.8

$7.09 COP 25.3K

27.36%

Cappuccino

$3.93 Q 29.91

$1.71 COP 6,115

129.82%

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

$1.99 Q 15.18

$1.10 COP 3,924

80.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 Q 9.98

$0.78 COP 2,781

67.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 Q 28.84

$1.68 COP 5,997

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 Q 45.21

$3.07 COP 11.0K

93.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 Q 14.79

$1.09 COP 3,906

77.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 Q 27.57

$1.26 COP 4,508

187.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 Q 12.56

$1.38 COP 4,922

19.57%

Eggs

$2.44 Q 18.59

$2.19 COP 7,827

11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 Q 58.2

$4.40 COP 15.7K

73.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 Q 73.6

$5.63 COP 20.1K

71.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 Q 79.2

$8.89 COP 31.8K

16.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 Q 34.37

$2.34 COP 8,349

92.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 Q 16.27

$1.06 COP 3,777

100.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 Q 38.54

$1.50 COP 5,374

237.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Q 11.93

$1.38 COP 4,924

13.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 Q 14.92

$1.15 COP 4,111

70.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 Q 13.45

$1.16 COP 4,155

52.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 Q 10.12

$0.89 COP 3,182

49.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 Q 10.06

$0.84 COP 2,997

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 Q 30.34

$2.28 COP 8,145

74.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 Q 70.0

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-13.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 Q 22.59

$1.20 COP 4,284

146.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Q 27.17

$2.47 COP 8,824

44.53%

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)

$4.76 Q 36.26

$1.47 COP 5,264

223.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 Q 4.93

$1.96 COP 7,009

-66.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 Q 8.13

$0.95 COP 3,409

12.63%

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

$20.6K Q 156.8K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

13.52%

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

$22.7K Q 173.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-14.29%

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

$48.47 Q 369

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-41.07%

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

$40.01 Q 305

$9.50 COP 33.9K

321.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 Q 521

$24.23 COP 86.5K

182.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$8.73 Q 66.6

$3.93 COP 14.0K

122.14%

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

$526 Q 4,005

$309 COP 1.1M

69.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K Q 96.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

112.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.39 Q 361

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-19.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 Q 410

$32.35 COP 115.5K

66.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 Q 771

$103 COP 366.4K

-1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 Q 642

$108 COP 387.2K

-22.30%

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)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

13.43

-36.71%

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

Last update for Chiquimula: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Chiquimula versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 vs $188 – 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

Chiquimula vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,227 per month in Chiquimula and $1,519 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 $52.0 in Chiquimula 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 64% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chiquimula, where all-in costs run around $818, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Chiquimula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiquimula – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Chiquimula. 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.