Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chillan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chillan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,041 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,531 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,020 in Chillan.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 4% less than in Chillan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Chillan 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.49 CLP 5,104

7.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$26.86 CLP 25.0K

22.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.17 CLP 5,737

20.42%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.96 CLP 2,754

-44.26%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.92 CLP 853

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.94 CLP 877

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.60 CLP 3,349

-52.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.24 CLP 3,942

-25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.10 CLP 1,025

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.76 CLP 1,640

-28.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.91 CLP 1,777

-27.75%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.91 CLP 3,636

-44.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.75 CLP 7,210

-42.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.72 CLP 6,257

-13.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.94 CLP 10.2K

-18.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.87 CLP 1,743

24.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.52 CLP 1,413

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.54 CLP 1,436

-1.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.51 CLP 1,408

-9.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.29 CLP 1,200

-12.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.42 CLP 1,320

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.27 CLP 1,180

-29.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.21 CLP 1,130

-25.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.35 CLP 4,982

-58.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$3.49 CLP 3,251

247.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.54 CLP 1,434

-22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.23 CLP 2,072

11.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.67 CLP 624

26.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.51 CLP 474

178.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.35 CLP 1,257

-26.67%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$12.9K CLP 12.0M

36.16%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$15.8K CLP 14.7M

69.96%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$134 CLP 124.8K

-38.12%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$13.47 CLP 12.5K

-27.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$24.22 CLP 22.5K

-2.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$16.76 CLP 15.6K

50.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$20.91 CLP 19.5K

-8.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$12.09 CLP 11.2K

-67.33%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$432 CLP 402.0K

-26.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

18.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$29.90 CLP 27.8K

6.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$50.5 CLP 46.9K

101.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$66.4 CLP 61.8K

61.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$475 CLP 441.9K

-0.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$380 CLP 353.4K

-1.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$459 CLP 426.8K

85.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$585 CLP 544.1K

23.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$2,520 CLP 2.3M

-42.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$698 CLP 649.3K

-10.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.18

159.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chillan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $475 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chillan pays 12% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Chillan. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $219, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chillan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Chillan differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $1,041 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Chillan. 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: $475 in Medellin versus $475 in Chillan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Chillan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,041 in Chillan – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,041 in Chillan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Chillan. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Chillan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.