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: $1,068 in Coquimbo versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,617 in Coquimbo versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,165 in Coquimbo versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Coquimbo is roughly 3% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Coquimbo 20% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 CLP 7,642

$5.92 COP 21.4K

45.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 CLP 38.9K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

33.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 CLP 7,030

$7.20 COP 26.0K

9.86%

Cappuccino

$2.70 CLP 2,405

$1.70 COP 6,140

58.82%

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

$1.35 CLP 1,200

$1.10 COP 3,966

22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 901

$0.72 COP 2,605

40.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,841

$1.67 COP 6,022

91.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 CLP 3,688

$3.10 COP 11.2K

33.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 CLP 971

$1.06 COP 3,809

2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 CLP 1,402

$1.25 COP 4,497

26.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,651

$1.39 COP 5,022

33.81%

Eggs

$3.51 CLP 3,121

$2.26 COP 8,168

55.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 CLP 9,162

$4.33 COP 15.6K

137.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 CLP 5,779

$5.84 COP 21.1K

11.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 CLP 9,845

$8.83 COP 31.9K

25.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,601

$2.24 COP 8,099

-19.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,407

$1.08 COP 3,882

46.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,416

$1.53 COP 5,522

3.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,332

$1.37 COP 4,950

9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,140

$1.13 COP 4,078

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,203

$1.12 COP 4,036

20.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,135

$0.85 COP 3,057

50.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,043

$0.91 COP 3,281

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.36 CLP 4,763

$2.33 COP 8,414

130.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.14 CLP 8,131

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-17.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CLP 1,396

$1.19 COP 4,309

31.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CLP 1,961

$2.37 COP 8,553

-7.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 549

$0.79 COP 2,838

-21.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 454

$1.44 COP 5,184

-64.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,233

$0.94 COP 3,385

47.87%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

7.66%

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

$21.3K CLP 18.9M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-20.54%

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

$134 CLP 119.3K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

59.81%

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

$13.41 CLP 11.9K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

39.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 CLP 19.4K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-9.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.75 CLP 34.5K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

49.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.16 CLP 18.8K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

11.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 CLP 5,171

$3.92 COP 14.1K

48.21%

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

$431 CLP 383.3K

$306 COP 1.1M

40.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 CLP 44.5K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-13.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.98 CLP 26.7K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-5.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 CLP 54.9K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-38.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 CLP 73.8K

$107 COP 386.8K

-22.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 CLP 419.4K

$487 COP 1.8M

-3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 CLP 330.6K

$368 COP 1.3M

1.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 CLP 780.4K

$826 COP 3.0M

6.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$584 CLP 519.6K

$716 COP 2.6M

-18.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$661 CLP 587.7K

$546 COP 2.0M

21.16%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $472 in Coquimbo and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquimbo pays 21% 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: $44.00 in Coquimbo vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $1,034 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Coquimbo pays 21% 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: $472 in Coquimbo versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $431 in Coquimbo versus $306 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 $44.00 in Coquimbo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,068 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 3% less than in Coquimbo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.