Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ancud Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ancud

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,066 in Ancud.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,612 in Ancud.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,159 in Ancud.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 5% less than in Ancud, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Ancud 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.73 CLP 7,845

-31.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$44.15 CLP 39.7K

-24.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.79 CLP 6,998

-7.19%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.80 CLP 2,518

-41.79%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.29 CLP 1,162

-15.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.07 CLP 958

-31.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.25 CLP 2,922

-46.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.30 CLP 3,866

-24.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.22 CLP 1,101

-13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.53 CLP 1,375

-15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.91 CLP 1,720

-30.89%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.63 CLP 3,260

-37.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.32 CLP 9,277

-57.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.49 CLP 5,835

-9.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.83 CLP 9,729

-20.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.86 CLP 1,674

20.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.56 CLP 1,405

-31.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.52 CLP 1,365

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.46 CLP 1,316

-2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.29 CLP 1,158

-9.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.39 CLP 1,252

-15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.27 CLP 1,139

-29.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.23 CLP 1,107

-26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.48 CLP 4,922

-58.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.04 CLP 5,432

82.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.61 CLP 1,446

-29.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.22 CLP 1,991

7.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.63 CLP 565

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.50 CLP 450

182.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.42 CLP 1,275

-28.87%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.5K CLP 17.5M

-9.79%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.1K CLP 18.9M

25.83%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$132 CLP 118.2K

-36.37%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$13.66 CLP 12.3K

-30.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$21.53 CLP 19.3K

11.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$39.14 CLP 35.2K

-35.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.47 CLP 19.3K

-10.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.71 CLP 5,136

-28.20%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$439 CLP 394.5K

-28.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$51.0 CLP 45.8K

13.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$30.42 CLP 27.3K

7.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$61.9 CLP 55.7K

60.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$82.2 CLP 73.9K

31.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$487 CLP 438.0K

-1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$380 CLP 341.5K

-0.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$878 CLP 789.4K

-4.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$582 CLP 523.0K

24.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.18

159.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ancud: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $487 in Ancud. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in Ancud for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $229 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

Medellin vs Ancud: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,599 in Ancud to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $487 in Ancud. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Ancud. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,066 in Ancud – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,066 in Ancud, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ancud. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ancud, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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