Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chaves Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chaves

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,089 in Chaves, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,663 in Chaves, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,237 in Chaves, rent included.

Medellin costs about 54% more than Chaves, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Chaves is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$8.07 €7.04

-0.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$22.97 €20.03

108.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.99 €6.96

23.78%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.66 €1.44

88.55%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.49 €1.30

28.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.60 €0.52

151.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.36 €2.06

32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.80 €2.44

105.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.02 €0.89

41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.17 €1.02

112.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.14 €1.00

55.26%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.17 €2.77

-6.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.38 €5.57

57.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.62 €5.77

52.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.65 €9.28

34.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.15 €1.00

260.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.13 €0.98

42.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.18 €1.02

90.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.13 €0.98

99.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.10 €1.83

-2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.13 €0.99

36.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.47 €1.28

-20.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.82 €0.72

59.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.16 €5.37

-36.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$4.02 €3.51

248.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.14 €0.99

52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.14 €1.00

151.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.94 €0.82

29.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$28.68 €25.00

180.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.94 €3.44

-66.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.71 €0.62

208.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$20.06 €17.49

-56.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.08 €1.81

-34.13%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$35.2K €30.7K

-20.90%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$40.0K €34.9K

-10.58%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$140 €122

26.99%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$18.60 €16.22

-25.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$33.18 €28.92

-10.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$26.32 €22.95

70.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$5.84 €5.09

193.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.48 €6.52

-11.10%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$231 €202

251.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$3,759 €3,277

144.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$75.2 €65.6

18.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$23.26 €20.27

153.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$66.6 €58.0

107.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$91.4 €79.6

11.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$496 €433

113.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$389 €339

70.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$983 €857

92.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$773 €674

32.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,977 €1,723

111.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,479 €1,289

13.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,037 €904

-34.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

264.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chaves: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $496 in Chaves. 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 53% higher in Chaves, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Chaves. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $187 – making Chaves 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 Chaves: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 54% more than Chaves, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,634 in Chaves. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chaves, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 181% less in Chaves. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $231 in Chaves. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chaves, where all-in costs run around $1,089, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Chaves it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chaves costs $1,089 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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