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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,060 in Castro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,641 in Castro, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,222 in Castro, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% cheaper than Castro, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Castro are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Castro 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$8.84 CLP 7,830

-32.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$44.05 CLP 39.0K

-25.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$8.08 CLP 7,161

-8.17%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.76 CLP 2,445

-40.22%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.34 CLP 1,187

-20.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$1.06 CLP 937

-28.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$3.30 CLP 2,919

-47.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.21 CLP 3,732

-23.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.13 CLP 1,004

-7.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.46 CLP 1,293

-10.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.33 CLP 1,180

0.75%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$4.30 CLP 3,805

-49.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$10.25 CLP 9,082

-56.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$4.41 CLP 3,907

29.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$9.01 CLP 7,981

-5.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.50 CLP 1,328

56.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.44 CLP 2,157

-54.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.65 CLP 1,457

-7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$2.02 CLP 1,790

-32.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.24 CLP 1,098

-7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.35 CLP 1,194

-12.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.22 CLP 1,082

-31.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.19 CLP 1,052

-27.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$5.50 CLP 4,871

-58.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$8.57 CLP 7,591

35.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.54 CLP 1,361

-22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.30 CLP 2,036

7.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.71 CLP 625

11.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.50 CLP 446

194.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.38 CLP 1,220

-26.81%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$19.5K CLP 17.3M

-9.56%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$21.7K CLP 19.2M

22.02%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$132 CLP 117.3K

-38.75%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$13.47 CLP 11.9K

-29.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$21.64 CLP 19.2K

10.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$38.89 CLP 34.5K

-33.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$21.67 CLP 19.2K

-13.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$5.71 CLP 5,062

-28.37%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$444 CLP 393.3K

-29.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$49.88 CLP 44.2K

19.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$30.05 CLP 26.6K

6.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$62.2 CLP 55.1K

62.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$81.3 CLP 72.0K

29.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$476 CLP 422.0K

1.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$373 CLP 330.0K

-2.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$902 CLP 798.7K

-8.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$621 CLP 549.9K

17.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$673 CLP 596.2K

-18.17%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Castro: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $476 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 22% 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 $222 – 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 3% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,589 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $1,060 in Castro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $444 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 $1,028, than in Castro at $1,060. 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 $1,028 versus $1,060 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.