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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $739 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,244 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,748 in Chiclayo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Chiclayo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Chiclayo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Chiclayo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.97 PEN 16.84

23.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$32.94 PEN 112

-1.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.22 PEN 27.84

-10.71%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.06 PEN 13.76

-57.64%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.79 PEN 2.68

32.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.50 PEN 1.70

54.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.60 PEN 8.80

-35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.42 PEN 4.82

-26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.64 PEN 5.54

-20.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.70 PEN 5.75

-17.65%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.03 PEN 10.28

-28.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.06 PEN 20.53

-27.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.90 PEN 20.00

-0.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.49 PEN 28.77

1.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.99 PEN 6.76

14.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.65 PEN 5.60

-32.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.09 PEN 3.69

40.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.57 PEN 5.32

-14.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.99 PEN 3.35

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.42 PEN 4.82

-20.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.66 PEN 2.23

28.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.67 PEN 2.28

35.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.18 PEN 14.18

-44.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$14.71 PEN 49.86

-15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.35 PEN 4.56

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.58 PEN 5.36

57.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.48 PEN 1.64

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$27.55 PEN 93.4

47.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.71 PEN 9.19

-47.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.09 PEN 3.69

76.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.84 PEN 16.39

58.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.28 PEN 4.35

-22.66%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.5K PEN 79.7K

-23.38%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.7K PEN 77.0K

17.15%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$37.97 PEN 129

112.83%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$15.05 PEN 51.0

-33.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$35.57 PEN 121

-32.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$32.57 PEN 110

-23.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$33.41 PEN 113

-42.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.48 PEN 18.56

-27.37%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$221 PEN 749

38.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,498 PEN 11.9K

73.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$43.80 PEN 148

32.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.99 PEN 122

-10.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$82.1 PEN 278

22.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$38.54 PEN 131

179.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$125 PEN 422

282.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$139 PEN 471

170.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$317 PEN 1,075

166.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$362 PEN 1,228

101.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,119 PEN 3,793

187.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,088 PEN 3,688

26.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$473 PEN 1,603

30.40%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiclayo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 30% 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 $33.00 in Chiclayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $211 – 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $739 in Chiclayo – roughly 39% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,109 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 $33.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $739 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 $739, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $739 in Chiclayo to $1,031 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.