Cost of Living Comparison Between Curico and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Curico and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $952 in Curico versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,404 in Curico versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Curico versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Curico costs roughly 5% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curico 28% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 CLP 4,469

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-18.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.79 CLP 30.5K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 CLP 6,913

$7.43 COP 23.4K

Cappuccino

$3.29 CLP 3,057

$1.65 COP 5,207

99.39%

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

$1.59 CLP 1,477

$1.10 COP 3,468

44.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 CLP 991

$0.78 COP 2,458

37.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 CLP 2,988

$1.72 COP 5,412

86.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CLP 3,331

$3.18 COP 10.0K

12.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 CLP 1,137

$1.10 COP 3,474

10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 CLP 1,430

$1.26 COP 3,962

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,787

$1.38 COP 4,349

39.13%

Eggs

$2.27 CLP 2,112

$2.18 COP 6,858

4.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.39 CLP 9,667

$4.49 COP 14.1K

131.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 CLP 6,155

$5.79 COP 18.2K

14.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 CLP 10.1K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

21.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,961

$2.32 COP 7,308

-9.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 CLP 1,459

$1.06 COP 3,352

48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 CLP 1,909

$1.52 COP 4,774

34.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,747

$1.36 COP 4,270

38.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,816

$1.13 COP 3,552

72.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,581

$1.17 COP 3,689

45.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 CLP 1,198

$0.90 COP 2,838

43.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 873

$0.90 COP 2,823

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 CLP 5,425

$2.23 COP 7,034

161.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.15 CLP 5,718

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-49.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CLP 1,508

$1.19 COP 3,743

36.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CLP 2,417

$2.48 COP 7,815

4.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 543

$0.85 COP 2,687

-31.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 473

$1.42 COP 4,459

-64.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CLP 1,349

$1.95 COP 6,141

-25.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.61 CLP 10.8K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

47.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 CLP 1,316

$0.99 COP 3,118

42.42%

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

$19.7K CLP 18.3M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

11.65%

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

$22.8K CLP 21.2M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-14.87%

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

$134 CLP 124.9K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

61.73%

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

$10.90 CLP 10.1K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

12.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.80 CLP 20.3K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-7.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.07 CLP 36.3K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

54.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 CLP 19.8K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

11.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 CLP 5,973

$3.95 COP 12.4K

62.53%

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

$439 CLP 408.1K

$316 COP 994.2K

38.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,696 CLP 8.1M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

45.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 CLP 50.9K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-8.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.52 CLP 30.3K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

2.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.52 CLP 34.9K

$102 COP 320.1K

-63.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.44 CLP 46.0K

$107 COP 338.3K

-53.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 CLP 413.4K

$475 COP 1.5M

-6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 CLP 277.9K

$374 COP 1.2M

-20.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 CLP 577.9K

$849 COP 2.7M

-26.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 CLP 371.8K

$719 COP 2.3M

-44.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$474 CLP 440.7K

$624 COP 2.0M

-24.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-62.77%

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

Last update for Curico: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Curico and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 32% 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: $33.00 in Curico vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $193, with Medellin 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

Curico vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Curico is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 32% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $444 in Curico versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $439 in Curico versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $952 in Curico versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Curico but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Curico the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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