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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $796 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,338 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,880 in Chiclayo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 111% more than Chiclayo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Chiclayo is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$5.35 PEN 17.96

49.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$36.27 PEN 122

31.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.02 PEN 30.26

9.65%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.43 PEN 14.85

-29.35%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.92 PEN 3.08

107.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.44 PEN 1.46

243.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$9.16 PEN 30.73

-65.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.01 PEN 6.74

-28.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.65 PEN 8.89

-6.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.66 PEN 8.92

-33.46%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.82 PEN 6.12

62.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.67 PEN 32.46

4.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$9.70 PEN 32.54

4.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.80 PEN 26.17

83.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.95 PEN 6.55

-17.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.95 PEN 6.56

15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.33 PEN 4.45

53.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.02 PEN 6.77

-23.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.87 PEN 2.93

34.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.93 PEN 3.11

40.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.49 PEN 15.08

-13.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$15.05 PEN 50.5

-6.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.46 PEN 4.88

19.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.21 PEN 4.05

137.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.53 PEN 1.76

130.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$29.84 PEN 100

169.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$4.36 PEN 14.64

-69.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$5.89 PEN 19.78

47.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.35 PEN 4.55

1.48%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$25.2K PEN 84.7K

10.34%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$25.0K PEN 83.7K

43.34%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$50.5 PEN 170

251.02%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$45.51 PEN 153

-69.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$23.43 PEN 78.6

26.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$45.29 PEN 152

-0.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$35.50 PEN 119

-51.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.63 PEN 25.59

-12.84%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$351 PEN 1,179

131.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,231 PEN 17.6K

75.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$177 PEN 594

500.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$148 PEN 496

348.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$443 PEN 1,486

326.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$422 PEN 1,417

143.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,116 PEN 3,744

274.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,107 PEN 3,714

51.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$474 PEN 1,591

42.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiclayo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $177 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 43% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Chiclayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $249 – making Chiclayo 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: $1,681 in Medellin, $796 in Chiclayo – roughly 111% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,195 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $36.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $796 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 $796, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $796 in Chiclayo to $1,681 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.