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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,072 in Ancud.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,634 in Ancud.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,196 in Ancud.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 4% less than in Ancud, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Ancud 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.77 CLP 7,797

-32.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$44.95 CLP 40.0K

-27.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.91 CLP 7,030

-8.98%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.83 CLP 2,512

-39.93%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.35 CLP 1,199

-18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.05 CLP 936

-31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.19 CLP 2,840

-47.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.26 CLP 3,789

-27.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.18 CLP 1,047

-10.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.56 CLP 1,386

-19.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.86 CLP 1,652

-25.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.48 CLP 3,091

-35.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.46 CLP 9,299

-58.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.62 CLP 5,884

-11.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.97 CLP 9,756

-19.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.83 CLP 1,628

22.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.51 CLP 1,344

-28.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.59 CLP 1,409

-3.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.45 CLP 1,293

-5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.27 CLP 1,133

-11.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.42 CLP 1,260

-21.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.27 CLP 1,134

-33.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.17 CLP 1,043

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.40 CLP 4,804

-56.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.61 CLP 1,432

-26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.34 CLP 2,078

1.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.63 CLP 559

25.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.47 CLP 422

206.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.42 CLP 1,265

-33.80%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.5K CLP 17.4M

-8.30%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.2K CLP 18.8M

26.64%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$132 CLP 117.0K

-36.20%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$13.59 CLP 12.1K

-29.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$21.73 CLP 19.3K

11.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$39.11 CLP 34.8K

-33.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.58 CLP 19.2K

-11.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.70 CLP 5,068

-31.23%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$438 CLP 389.1K

-29.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$50.1 CLP 44.6K

15.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$30.13 CLP 26.8K

5.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$60.6 CLP 53.9K

64.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$83.4 CLP 74.2K

28.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$481 CLP 427.6K

1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$380 CLP 337.7K

-3.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$879 CLP 781.2K

-6.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$587 CLP 521.6K

22.07%

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)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ancud: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $481 in Ancud. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $45.00 in Ancud for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $216 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,608 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: $487 in Medellin versus $481 in Ancud. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Ancud. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,072 in Ancud – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,072 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 4% less than in Ancud. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.