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: $977 in Curico versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Curico versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,829 in Curico versus $2,144 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 27% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 CLP 4,245

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-20.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.71 CLP 28.1K

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-3.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 CLP 6,614

$7.42 COP 25.4K

0.67%

Cappuccino

$3.19 CLP 2,825

$1.65 COP 5,659

93.33%

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

$1.65 CLP 1,461

$1.07 COP 3,663

54.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 CLP 966

$0.76 COP 2,607

43.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 CLP 2,909

$1.72 COP 5,908

90.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 CLP 3,191

$3.20 COP 11.0K

12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,049

$1.05 COP 3,597

12.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,387

$1.31 COP 4,479

19.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,678

$1.34 COP 4,591

41.04%

Eggs

$2.26 CLP 1,998

$2.19 COP 7,521

3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 CLP 9,121

$4.41 COP 15.1K

133.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 CLP 5,782

$5.69 COP 19.5K

14.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 CLP 9,574

$8.52 COP 29.2K

26.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,871

$2.34 COP 8,023

-9.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,430

$1.11 COP 3,804

45.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,870

$1.52 COP 5,210

38.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 CLP 1,636

$1.37 COP 4,680

35.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 CLP 1,742

$1.15 COP 3,950

71.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,433

$1.18 COP 4,043

37.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,148

$0.84 COP 2,885

54.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 CLP 844

$0.86 COP 2,931

10.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.68 CLP 5,029

$2.26 COP 7,753

151.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.68 CLP 5,918

$11.60 COP 39.8K

-42.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CLP 1,433

$1.20 COP 4,109

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 CLP 2,228

$2.48 COP 8,484

1.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 CLP 508

$0.79 COP 2,721

-27.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 419

$1.47 COP 5,023

-68.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CLP 1,306

$1.92 COP 6,568

-23.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.39 CLP 10.1K

$7.77 COP 26.6K

46.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,271

$1.01 COP 3,464

41.58%

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

$19.9K CLP 17.6M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

12.81%

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

$22.3K CLP 19.7M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-15.73%

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

$130 CLP 115.3K

$81.1 COP 277.9K

60.54%

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

$10.98 CLP 9,726

$9.43 COP 32.3K

16.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.98 CLP 19.5K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

-7.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 CLP 33.6K

$25.99 COP 89.1K

45.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 CLP 18.9K

$18.71 COP 64.1K

14.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 CLP 5,803

$4.09 COP 14.0K

60.15%

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

$433 CLP 383.5K

$315 COP 1.1M

37.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,493 CLP 7.5M

$6,022 COP 20.6M

41.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 CLP 48.8K

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-7.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.13 CLP 29.3K

$31.97 COP 109.6K

3.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.42 CLP 33.1K

$101 COP 346.9K

-63.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.80 CLP 43.2K

$105 COP 360.3K

-53.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 CLP 384.7K

$485 COP 1.7M

-10.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 CLP 261.8K

$365 COP 1.3M

-19.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 CLP 548.9K

$827 COP 2.8M

-25.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 CLP 365.1K

$730 COP 2.5M

-43.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 CLP 450.3K

$551 COP 1.9M

-7.70%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $434 in Curico and $485 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 8% 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 $230 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 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 8% 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: $434 in Curico versus $485 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $433 in Curico versus $315 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 $977 in Curico versus $1,028 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.