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: $1,073 in Coquimbo versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,670 in Coquimbo versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,267 in Coquimbo versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Coquimbo costs roughly 36% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Coquimbo is 22% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.34 CLP 6,770

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-6.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.33 CLP 44.6K

$44.53 COP 136.5K

8.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 CLP 5,970

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-30.36%

Cappuccino

$3.86 CLP 3,564

$2.90 COP 8,874

33.10%

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

$1.17 CLP 1,082

$1.81 COP 5,541

-35.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 CLP 1,035

$1.55 COP 4,741

-27.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.34 CLP 4,006

$3.25 COP 9,962

33.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 CLP 4,668

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-13.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 CLP 984

$1.38 COP 4,230

-22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 CLP 1,662

$2.45 COP 7,517

-26.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,518

$1.51 COP 4,617

9.27%

Eggs

$3.90 CLP 3,596

$2.78 COP 8,516

40.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 CLP 10.6K

$9.05 COP 27.7K

26.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 CLP 5,970

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-39.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 CLP 11.7K

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-13.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 CLP 1,820

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-50.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 CLP 1,538

$1.38 COP 4,219

21.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 CLP 1,591

$2.30 COP 7,056

-25.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,566

$2.02 COP 6,185

-15.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 CLP 947

$2.09 COP 6,390

-50.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 CLP 1,361

$1.63 COP 4,996

-9.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 CLP 1,245

$1.08 COP 3,313

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,081

$1.25 COP 3,843

-6.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.54 CLP 5,114

$4.03 COP 12.4K

37.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 CLP 5,509

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-55.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,439

$1.60 COP 4,904

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 CLP 2,104

$3.00 COP 9,189

-24.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 785

$1.18 COP 3,611

-27.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 CLP 765

$1.61 COP 4,920

-48.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 CLP 1,369

$1.35 COP 4,142

9.63%

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

$19.8K CLP 18.3M

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-30.08%

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

$24.5K CLP 22.6M

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-31.46%

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

$119 CLP 110.2K

$151 COP 463.8K

-21.11%

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

$13.52 CLP 12.5K

$13.10 COP 40.1K

3.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.45 CLP 18.9K

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-36.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.85 CLP 25.7K

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-39.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.55 CLP 5,117

$17.26 COP 52.9K

-67.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 CLP 6,697

$6.43 COP 19.7K

12.91%

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

$444 CLP 410.0K

$835 COP 2.6M

-46.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,551 CLP 7.9M

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-3.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 CLP 47.4K

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-42.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 CLP 27.7K

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-45.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 CLP 55.6K

$137 COP 418.5K

-55.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 CLP 69.0K

$109 COP 335.1K

-31.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 CLP 472.4K

$952 COP 2.9M

-46.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 CLP 391.9K

$668 COP 2.0M

-36.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 CLP 961.0K

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-48.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 CLP 629.6K

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-40.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$647 CLP 596.5K

$625 COP 1.9M

3.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

10.43

-50.62%

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

Last update for Coquimbo: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Coquimbo and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquimbo pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Coquimbo vs $45.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $297, with Coquimbo cheaper for home cooking.

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 57% in total monthly costs ($1,073 vs $1,687 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Coquimbo, 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: $512 in Coquimbo versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $444 in Coquimbo versus $835 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Coquimbo – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $45.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,073 in Coquimbo versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Coquimbo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Coquimbo 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 Coquimbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.