Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Castro Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Castro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $899 in Castro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,407 in Castro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,915 in Castro, rent included.

Medellin costs about 87% more than Castro, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Castro is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$8.48 CLP 8,093

-5.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$47.44 CLP 45.3K

0.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.65 CLP 5,388

75.04%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.61 CLP 1,539

94.41%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.26 CLP 1,206

51.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.01 CLP 964

49.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$5.31 CLP 5,069

-41.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$7.27 CLP 6,939

-20.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.09 CLP 1,045

32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.76 CLP 3,589

-33.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.33 CLP 1,272

33.08%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$4.14 CLP 3,951

-28.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.79 CLP 9,339

2.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.14 CLP 3,953

144.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.47 CLP 8,084

68.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.37 CLP 1,309

202.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.25 CLP 2,152

-28.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.59 CLP 1,521

41.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.93 CLP 1,846

16.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.21 CLP 1,150

68.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.56 CLP 1,486

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.53 CLP 1,460

-14.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.72 CLP 3,554

4.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.07 CLP 7,697

73.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.07 CLP 1,018

62.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.10 CLP 2,956

-7.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.69 CLP 656

76.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.39 CLP 1,330

-1.44%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$15.7K CLP 15.0M

77.65%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$19.0K CLP 18.1M

88.20%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$135 CLP 128.6K

31.55%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$31.28 CLP 29.9K

-4.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$82.6 CLP 78.9K

67.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$364 CLP 347.5K

191.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$291 CLP 277.4K

128.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,033 CLP 985.5K

82.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$596 CLP 568.9K

72.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$615 CLP 587.2K

10.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

56.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Castro: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $364 in Castro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Castro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $238 – making Castro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Castro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 87% more than Castro, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,349 in Castro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $899 in Castro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castro, where all-in costs run around $899, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Castro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castro costs $899 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Castro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.