Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chaguanas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chaguanas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,295 in Chaguanas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,037 in Chaguanas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,779 in Chaguanas.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 22% less than in Chaguanas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Chaguanas 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.54 TTD 50.6

-20.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$90.4 TTD 606

-63.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.33 TTD 49.08

-3.27%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.11 TTD 20.87

-45.02%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.09 TTD 7.30

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.81 TTD 5.45

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.88 TTD 12.62

-10.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.74 TTD 18.34

12.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.58 TTD 17.30

-57.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.29 TTD 15.37

-44.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.63 TTD 17.59

-47.53%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$4.00 TTD 26.82

-45.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.97 TTD 53.4

-44.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.98 TTD 60.2

-37.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$12.60 TTD 84.4

-29.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$4.71 TTD 31.58

-50.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.53 TTD 16.96

-58.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.53 TTD 23.67

-57.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$4.45 TTD 29.78

-68.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.48 TTD 9.88

-22.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.67 TTD 11.22

-30.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.50 TTD 10.03

-40.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.27 TTD 8.53

-33.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.69 TTD 31.45

-51.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$18.38 TTD 123

-42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.19 TTD 14.69

-45.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.82 TTD 18.90

-12.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.24 TTD 8.28

-30.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.01 TTD 6.73

45.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.06 TTD 7.10

84.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$15.02 TTD 101

-48.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.96 TTD 6.46

-1.04%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$32.7K TTD 219.3K

-44.61%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$36.3K TTD 243.2K

-27.05%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$81.2 TTD 544

1.27%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$46.40 TTD 311

-79.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$51.6 TTD 346

-53.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$43.73 TTD 293

-40.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$29.13 TTD 195

-34.78%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.94 TTD 59.9

-56.04%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$321 TTD 2,148

-3.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,275 TTD 48.7K

-18.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$55.8 TTD 374

5.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$38.61 TTD 259

-16.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$135 TTD 906

-24.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$117 TTD 781

-7.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$430 TTD 2,884

10.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$377 TTD 2,525

0.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$629 TTD 4,214

33.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$539 TTD 3,608

34.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$784 TTD 5,250

-34.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.38

149.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chaguanas: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $430 in Chaguanas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chaguanas pays 53% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $90.0 in Chaguanas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $339 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 Chaguanas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Chaguanas. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Chaguanas earns 53% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $430 in Chaguanas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Chaguanas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,295 in Chaguanas – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,295 in Chaguanas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Chaguanas. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Chaguanas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Chaguanas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.