Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chico, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chico, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,516 in Chico, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $3,948 in Chico, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $5,380 in Chico, CA.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 35% less than in Chico, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Chico, CA 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$25.07 $25.07

-67.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$50.2 $50.2

-3.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$12.02 $12.02

-21.63%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$5.36 $5.36

-45.15%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.67 $2.67

-30.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$2.15 $2.15

-32.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$7.72 $7.72

-58.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$8.19 $8.19

-30.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.11 $1.11

29.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.12 $3.12

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.56 $3.56

-52.25%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$4.83 $4.83

-40.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.13 $11.13

-9.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$12.11 $12.11

-17.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$15.72 $15.72

-9.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$5.60 $5.60

-28.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.23 $2.23

-29.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.93 $3.93

-45.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$5.40 $5.40

-57.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$4.94 $4.94

-59.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$3.13 $3.13

-51.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.46 $2.46

-51.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$2.47 $2.47

-48.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$8.13 $8.13

-52.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$12.14 $12.14

15.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.77 $1.77

-3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$5.02 $5.02

-45.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$2.93 $2.93

-57.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$34.62 $34.62

125.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$3.17 $3.17

-58.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$2.36 $2.36

-8.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$39.63 $39.63

-79.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.32 $1.32

3.03%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$38.0K $38.0K

-27.76%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$25.7K $25.7K

42.07%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$187 $187

-9.64%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$49.66 $49.66

-72.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$68.6 $68.6

-58.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$75.3 $75.3

-39.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$13.20 $13.20

-49.62%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$1,818 $1,818

-55.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$38.0K $38.0K

-75.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$51.4 $51.4

69.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$31.96 $31.96

85.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$70.4 $70.4

97.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$98.7 $98.7

3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,514 $1,514

-29.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,121 $1,121

-41.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$2,843 $2,843

-32.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$2,615 $2,615

-59.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$3,285 $3,285

25.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$2,985 $2,985

-43.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$3,875 $3,875

-83.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.1

79.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chico, CA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $1,514 in Chico, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 492% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $50.0 in Chico, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $405 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Chico, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 492% lower in Chico, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,514 in Chico, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $50.0 in Chico, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $2,516 in Chico, CA – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,516 in Chico, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Chico, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chico, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Chico, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.