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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,273 in Chaguanas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $2,058 in Chaguanas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,843 in Chaguanas.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 19% less than in Chaguanas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Chaguanas 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.29 TTD 49.01

-15.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$90.1 TTD 606

-63.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.61 TTD 51.2

-3.55%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.02 TTD 20.33

-43.05%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.05 TTD 7.04

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.82 TTD 5.52

-6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.83 TTD 12.31

-7.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.60 TTD 17.49

21.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.55 TTD 17.14

-58.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.18 TTD 14.68

-40.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.68 TTD 18.05

-47.76%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$4.18 TTD 28.14

-48.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.79 TTD 52.4

-43.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$9.38 TTD 63.1

-37.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$12.25 TTD 82.4

-29.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.55 TTD 30.63

-49.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.53 TTD 17.00

-56.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.51 TTD 23.60

-56.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$4.42 TTD 29.70

-69.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.43 TTD 9.64

-20.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.66 TTD 11.20

-31.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.49 TTD 10.05

-42.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.24 TTD 8.31

-26.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.53 TTD 30.45

-48.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$19.45 TTD 131

-36.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.20 TTD 14.80

-45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.70 TTD 18.15

-7.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.24 TTD 8.31

-32.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.01 TTD 6.78

40.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.08 TTD 7.27

77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$15.01 TTD 101

-48.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.92 TTD 6.22

7.61%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$33.3K TTD 223.8K

-45.81%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$36.5K TTD 245.2K

-26.96%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$81.3 TTD 546

-0.54%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$47.00 TTD 316

-78.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$52.0 TTD 350

-53.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$44.04 TTD 296

-43.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$30.05 TTD 202

-36.27%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.08 TTD 61.1

-56.17%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$315 TTD 2,121

-3.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,077 TTD 47.6K

-14.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$54.8 TTD 368

6.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$39.18 TTD 264

-17.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$135 TTD 908

-25.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$119 TTD 801

-9.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$435 TTD 2,923

9.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$383 TTD 2,579

-1.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$618 TTD 4,159

36.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$533 TTD 3,583

37.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$792 TTD 5,324

-22.07%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chaguanas: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $435 in Chaguanas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chaguanas pays 28% 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 $193 vs $340 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 23% 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, salaries run 28% lower in Chaguanas. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $435 in Chaguanas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Chaguanas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,273 in Chaguanas – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,273 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 $1,031 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 23% less than in Chaguanas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.