Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Castro

For one person, living is cheaper in Castro: $858 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Castro

🇨🇱 Chile

$858

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Castro

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Castro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $858 in Castro, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Castro $858

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,360 in Castro, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Castro $1,360

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,862 in Castro, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Castro $1,862

Medellin costs about 91% more than Castro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Castro is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$8.02 CLP 7,963

0.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.9K

$44.65 CLP 44.4K

5.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

$5.70 CLP 5,658

66.67%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,735

$1.54 CLP 1,532

95.45%

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

$1.80 COP 5,809

$1.19 CLP 1,184

51.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,561

$1.03 CLP 1,022

36.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$5.18 CLP 5,150

-38.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.6K

$7.13 CLP 7,080

-19.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,876

$1.06 CLP 1,058

42.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,678

$3.52 CLP 3,492

-32.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,720

$1.27 CLP 1,265

39.37%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,333

$4.21 CLP 4,182

-31.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$9.85 CLP 9,789

3.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.9K

$4.01 CLP 3,988

146.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.2K

$8.37 CLP 8,316

67.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

$1.38 CLP 1,367

187.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,012

$2.15 CLP 2,139

-27.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,048

$1.49 CLP 1,476

46.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,051

$1.88 CLP 1,867

15.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,337

$1.17 CLP 1,159

67.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,132

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,699

$1.56 CLP 1,546

-26.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,014

$1.47 CLP 1,465

-15.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

$3.56 CLP 3,537

11.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

$7.63 CLP 7,575

79.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,359

$1.03 CLP 1,018

61.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,291

$3.00 CLP 2,977

-24.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,771

$0.71 CLP 709

64.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,094

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,612

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,349

$1.29 CLP 1,283

4.65%

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

$34.1K COP 110.0M

$15.3K CLP 15.2M

123.36%

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

$17.9K CLP 17.8M

93.50%

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

$170 COP 547.8K

$130 CLP 129.1K

30.52%

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

$13.55 COP 43.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

$29.80 CLP 29.6K

-5.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

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

$797 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.8K

$79.4 CLP 78.9K

70.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 316.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$351 CLP 348.4K

244.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$279 CLP 277.2K

129.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

$1,012 CLP 1.0M

100.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$570 CLP 565.7K

77.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$600 CLP 595.8K

9.57%

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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Castro: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Castro

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Castro

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Castro

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Castro

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Castro

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Castro

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Castro

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $351 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 $47 in Medellin versus $45 in Castro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $231 – making Castro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇨🇱 Castro

🕒 Local time

04:32 4:32 AM

06:32 6:32 AM

2 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

33,417

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.07 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.02 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 993 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.01 USD). 1 EUR = 1,109 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.02 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Castro 5,420 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Castro

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 91% more than Castro, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,286 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $351 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $858 in Castro. That makes Castro about 48% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,639 in Medellin and $858 in Castro. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $858 in Castro to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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