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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,091 in Castro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,648 in Castro, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,206 in Castro, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Castro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Castro are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Castro 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.76 CLP 7,794

-32.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$44.24 CLP 39.3K

-25.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.14 CLP 7,238

-11.55%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.86 CLP 2,542

-40.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.37 CLP 1,217

-19.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.01 CLP 901

-28.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.26 CLP 2,900

-48.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.16 CLP 3,698

-25.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.09 CLP 971

-2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.52 CLP 1,349

-17.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.37 CLP 1,220

1.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.42 CLP 3,928

-48.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.21 CLP 9,082

-57.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.25 CLP 3,782

37.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.80 CLP 7,825

0.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.49 CLP 1,323

50.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.36 CLP 2,096

-54.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.65 CLP 1,465

-7.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.10 CLP 1,866

-34.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.19 CLP 1,062

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.40 CLP 1,241

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.22 CLP 1,082

-30.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.23 CLP 1,092

-26.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.41 CLP 4,813

-56.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.17 CLP 7,261

36.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.56 CLP 1,386

-23.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.24 CLP 1,995

5.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.75 CLP 670

5.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.47 CLP 417

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

$1.43 CLP 1,272

-34.27%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.6K CLP 17.5M

-8.68%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.2K CLP 18.9M

26.20%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$131 CLP 116.6K

-35.99%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$13.28 CLP 11.8K

-27.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.14 CLP 19.7K

9.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$38.85 CLP 34.5K

-33.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.64 CLP 19.2K

-12.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.60 CLP 4,978

-30.00%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$427 CLP 380.0K

-28.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$51.0 CLP 45.4K

13.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$30.26 CLP 26.9K

5.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$61.3 CLP 54.5K

63.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$81.5 CLP 72.5K

31.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$487 CLP 432.7K

0.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$370 CLP 328.9K

-0.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$887 CLP 789.1K

-6.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$619 CLP 550.7K

15.63%

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

$676 CLP 600.8K

-19.26%

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 Castro: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $487 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 24% higher in Castro, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Castro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $221 – making Medellin 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

Castro costs about 6% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,636 in Castro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,091 in Castro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $427 in Castro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Castro at $1,091. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,034 versus $1,091 in Castro. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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