Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chiclayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chiclayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $751 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,258 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,765 in Chiclayo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Chiclayo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Chiclayo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Chiclayo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.95 PEN 16.85

21.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$33.86 PEN 115

-2.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.31 PEN 28.27

-14.68%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$4.08 PEN 13.89

-58.09%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.86 PEN 2.94

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.50 PEN 1.70

56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.49 PEN 8.46

-32.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.43 PEN 4.85

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.70 PEN 5.79

-18.82%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.05 PEN 10.39

-28.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.08 PEN 20.67

-27.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.87 PEN 19.96

-4.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$8.74 PEN 29.74

1.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.91 PEN 6.49

22.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.57 PEN 5.33

-32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.09 PEN 3.71

37.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.58 PEN 5.37

-12.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.91 PEN 3.11

26.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.37 PEN 4.67

-15.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.70 PEN 2.40

27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.68 PEN 2.30

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.40 PEN 14.98

-48.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$14.66 PEN 49.88

-27.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.33 PEN 4.54

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.60 PEN 5.46

54.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.51 PEN 1.74

68.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$27.32 PEN 93.0

51.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.70 PEN 9.19

-45.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.12 PEN 3.82

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.73 PEN 16.08

63.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.29 PEN 4.38

-26.36%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$23.5K PEN 79.9K

-22.80%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$22.6K PEN 77.0K

17.09%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$38.47 PEN 131

113.80%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$14.88 PEN 50.6

-36.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$35.07 PEN 119

-30.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$31.96 PEN 109

-18.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$33.46 PEN 114

-43.22%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.68 PEN 19.32

-30.81%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$225 PEN 764

37.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,378 PEN 11.5K

76.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$44.75 PEN 152

31.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$36.52 PEN 124

-11.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$82.3 PEN 280

24.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$39.36 PEN 134

175.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$125 PEN 426

280.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$137 PEN 468

175.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$326 PEN 1,108

157.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$361 PEN 1,228

100.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,112 PEN 3,784

150.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,109 PEN 3,772

9.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$469 PEN 1,594

9.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiclayo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $125 in Chiclayo. 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 9% higher in Medellin, 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 $34.00 in Chiclayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $210 – 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 Chiclayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $751 in Chiclayo – roughly 35% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,127 in Chiclayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $34.00 in Chiclayo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $751 in Chiclayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiclayo, where all-in costs run around $751, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Chiclayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $751 in Chiclayo to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chiclayo. 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.