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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,103 in Ancud.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,644 in Ancud.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,184 in Ancud.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 9% less than in Ancud, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Ancud 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$8.83 CLP 8,214

-33.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$44.43 CLP 41.3K

-25.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.18 CLP 7,612

-9.17%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.84 CLP 2,642

-41.90%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.30 CLP 1,211

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.01 CLP 940

-22.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.21 CLP 2,986

-46.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.29 CLP 3,990

-25.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.22 CLP 1,139

-9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.56 CLP 1,447

-19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.85 CLP 1,720

-25.41%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.43 CLP 3,192

-36.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$10.51 CLP 9,780

-57.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.66 CLP 6,194

-13.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.77 CLP 10.0K

-16.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.80 CLP 1,679

28.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.52 CLP 1,414

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.58 CLP 1,471

-3.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.45 CLP 1,346

-6.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.25 CLP 1,163

-9.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.40 CLP 1,306

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.28 CLP 1,187

-29.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.18 CLP 1,096

-23.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.52 CLP 5,136

-59.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.51 CLP 6,061

86.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.55 CLP 1,443

-23.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.33 CLP 2,166

6.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.58 CLP 542

46.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.51 CLP 475

178.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.43 CLP 1,335

-30.77%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.7K CLP 18.3M

-10.46%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$21.1K CLP 19.7M

26.87%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$130 CLP 121.2K

-36.28%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$13.71 CLP 12.8K

-29.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$21.66 CLP 20.2K

8.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$38.44 CLP 35.8K

-34.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$21.67 CLP 20.2K

-11.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.59 CLP 5,204

-29.34%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$442 CLP 411.0K

-28.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$51.3 CLP 47.8K

16.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$30.77 CLP 28.6K

3.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$61.5 CLP 57.2K

65.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$83.2 CLP 77.4K

29.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$476 CLP 442.7K

-0.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$367 CLP 341.7K

1.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$897 CLP 834.9K

-5.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$589 CLP 547.8K

22.21%

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)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ancud: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $476 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 $193 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,655 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: $475 in Medellin versus $476 in Ancud. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Ancud. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,103 in Ancud – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,103 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 10% less than in Ancud. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.