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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $1,580 in Chaves, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $2,240 in Chaves, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,901 in Chaves, rent included.

Medellin is about 36% cheaper than Chaves, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Chaves is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$7.99 €7.00

-25.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$23.21 €20.33

42.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$7.96 €6.97

-10.55%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,457

$1.71 €1.49

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$1.72 €1.50

-38.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$0.56 €0.49

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$2.26 €1.98

-23.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.55 €3.11

-10.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$1.09 €0.95

-2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$1.71 €1.50

-23.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$1.92 €1.68

-30.73%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$3.10 €2.71

-26.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$11.37 €9.96

-61.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$8.04 €7.04

-26.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$14.29 €12.52

-39.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$2.50 €2.19

-6.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$1.52 €1.33

-27.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$1.98 €1.73

-25.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$2.99 €2.62

-53.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$1.36 €1.19

-13.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$1.88 €1.65

-37.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$1.66 €1.45

-45.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$0.95 €0.83

-11.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$6.06 €5.31

-61.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

$3.88 €3.40

207.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

$1.15 €1.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

$2.59 €2.27

-6.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$2.32 €2.04

-63.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

$42.47 €37.21

-3.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$3.97 €3.47

-64.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

$1.24 €1.09

54.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$14.22 €12.46

-44.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$1.91 €1.67

-50.79%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$38.2K €33.5K

-53.38%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$38.8K €34.0K

-30.27%

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

$83.3 COP 266.4K

$133 €116

-37.35%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$21.68 €18.99

-55.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$42.80 €37.50

-43.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

$44.31 €38.82

-43.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

$5.90 €5.17

227.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$6.99 €6.12

-41.77%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$351 €308

-12.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$8,181 €7,168

-26.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$74.9 €65.6

-19.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$22.71 €19.90

43.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$70.7 €61.9

43.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$80.5 €70.5

34.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$929 €814

-48.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$743 €651

-49.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$1,500 €1,314

-45.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$1,141 €1,000

-38.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$1,926 €1,687

65.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,472 €1,290

-1.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$1,034 €906

-39.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.43

147.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chaves: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $929 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 66% higher in Chaves, 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 $23.00 in Chaves. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Medellin vs $254 in Chaves – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chaves costs about 55% more than Medellin, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $2,370 in Chaves. 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.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Medellin and $351 in Chaves. 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 $1,018, than in Chaves at $1,580. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chaves it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,018 versus $1,580 in Chaves. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chaves makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.