Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquimbo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquimbo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,069 in Coquimbo versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,622 in Coquimbo versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Coquimbo versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Coquimbo is roughly 5% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Coquimbo 20% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 CLP 7,783

$5.95 COP 20.8K

45.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.66 CLP 40.1K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

33.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 CLP 7,378

$7.23 COP 25.2K

13.55%

Cappuccino

$2.72 CLP 2,441

$1.63 COP 5,687

66.87%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,165

$1.09 COP 3,821

19.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 915

$0.73 COP 2,548

39.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 CLP 2,883

$1.74 COP 6,065

84.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 CLP 3,650

$3.23 COP 11.3K

25.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 CLP 950

$1.05 COP 3,662

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,374

$1.29 COP 4,515

18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,726

$1.32 COP 4,617

45.45%

Eggs

$3.43 CLP 3,079

$2.27 COP 7,927

51.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 CLP 9,295

$4.35 COP 15.2K

137.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 CLP 6,039

$5.88 COP 20.5K

14.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 CLP 9,695

$8.61 COP 30.0K

25.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 CLP 1,633

$2.25 COP 7,844

-19.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,362

$1.07 COP 3,733

42.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,391

$1.52 COP 5,322

1.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 CLP 1,304

$1.42 COP 4,964

2.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 CLP 1,143

$1.17 COP 4,084

8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,277

$1.17 COP 4,077

21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,141

$0.89 COP 3,096

42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,068

$0.90 COP 3,146

32.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.51 CLP 4,950

$2.25 COP 7,837

144.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 CLP 5,411

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-45.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,402

$1.14 COP 3,977

36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CLP 1,988

$2.38 COP 8,301

-7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 564

$0.84 COP 2,916

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 419

$1.41 COP 4,912

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,235

$1.01 COP 3,509

35.64%

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

$19.6K CLP 17.6M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

11.32%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-19.72%

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

$132 CLP 118.9K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

58.14%

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

$13.32 CLP 12.0K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

40.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.78 CLP 19.6K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-9.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.95 CLP 34.1K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

49.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 CLP 19.1K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

11.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 CLP 5,222

$4.10 COP 14.3K

41.71%

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

$438 CLP 394.0K

$312 COP 1.1M

40.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 CLP 46.4K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-11.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.86 CLP 26.8K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-8.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 CLP 55.8K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-37.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 CLP 74.8K

$109 COP 378.8K

-23.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 CLP 436.4K

$482 COP 1.7M

0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 335.5K

$379 COP 1.3M

-1.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 CLP 801.6K

$837 COP 2.9M

6.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 CLP 531.7K

$723 COP 2.5M

-18.17%

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)

$661 CLP 594.3K

$541 COP 1.9M

22.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

13.43

-61.43%

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

Last update for Coquimbo: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Coquimbo and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquimbo pays 22% 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: $45.00 in Coquimbo vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $190 per month, with Medellin 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

Coquimbo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Coquimbo and Medellin differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,069 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Coquimbo pays 22% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $486 in Coquimbo versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $438 in Coquimbo versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $45.00 in Coquimbo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,069 in Coquimbo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Coquimbo. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Coquimbo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.