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: $950 in Curico versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,413 in Curico versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,876 in Curico versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Curico costs roughly 8% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curico 29% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.74 CLP 4,217

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-19.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.23 CLP 28.7K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-1.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 CLP 6,564

$7.20 COP 26.0K

2.50%

Cappuccino

$3.13 CLP 2,781

$1.70 COP 6,140

84.12%

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

$1.60 CLP 1,421

$1.10 COP 3,966

45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 CLP 972

$0.72 COP 2,605

51.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 CLP 2,890

$1.67 COP 6,022

94.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 CLP 3,123

$3.10 COP 11.2K

13.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,093

$1.06 COP 3,809

16.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,363

$1.25 COP 4,497

22.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 CLP 1,764

$1.39 COP 5,022

42.45%

Eggs

$2.29 CLP 2,033

$2.26 COP 8,168

1.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 CLP 9,189

$4.33 COP 15.6K

138.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 CLP 5,891

$5.84 COP 21.1K

13.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 CLP 9,760

$8.83 COP 31.9K

24.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 CLP 1,791

$2.24 COP 8,099

-10.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,427

$1.08 COP 3,882

48.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 CLP 1,901

$1.53 COP 5,522

39.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,728

$1.37 COP 4,950

41.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,721

$1.13 COP 4,078

70.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 CLP 1,480

$1.12 COP 4,036

48.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 CLP 1,161

$0.85 COP 3,057

54.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 CLP 883

$0.91 COP 3,281

8.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.79 CLP 5,145

$2.33 COP 8,414

148.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.54 CLP 5,811

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-41.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CLP 1,431

$1.19 COP 4,309

35.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CLP 2,193

$2.37 COP 8,553

4.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 519

$0.79 COP 2,838

-26.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 420

$1.44 COP 5,184

-67.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CLP 1,260

$1.91 COP 6,901

-25.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.33 CLP 10.1K

$8.02 COP 28.9K

41.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,212

$0.94 COP 3,385

44.68%

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

$19.7K CLP 17.5M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

9.94%

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

$22.8K CLP 20.3M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-14.89%

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

$135 CLP 119.7K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

60.27%

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

$10.87 CLP 9,663

$9.60 COP 34.7K

13.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.30 CLP 18.9K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-11.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.38 CLP 34.1K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

48.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.88 CLP 18.6K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

9.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 CLP 5,882

$3.92 COP 14.1K

68.88%

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

$438 CLP 389.7K

$306 COP 1.1M

43.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,524 CLP 7.6M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

44.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 CLP 50.0K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-2.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.11 CLP 29.4K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

4.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.57 CLP 33.4K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-62.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.90 CLP 43.5K

$107 COP 386.8K

-54.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 CLP 393.4K

$487 COP 1.8M

-9.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 CLP 258.8K

$368 COP 1.3M

-20.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 CLP 561.5K

$826 COP 3.0M

-23.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 CLP 363.6K

$716 COP 2.6M

-42.89%

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)

$500 CLP 444.4K

$546 COP 2.0M

-8.39%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Curico and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 9% 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: $32.00 in Curico vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $190, 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 9% less. 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: $442 in Curico versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $438 in Curico 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 Curico – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $950 in Curico versus $1,034 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 9% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.