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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,047 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,504 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,961 in Chillan.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 3% less than in Chillan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Chillan 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.52 CLP 4,961

7.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$27.29 CLP 24.5K

22.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.30 CLP 5,661

14.76%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.10 CLP 2,788

-47.42%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.94 CLP 847

15.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.98 CLP 877

-25.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.73 CLP 3,350

-53.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.19 CLP 3,767

-22.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.14 CLP 1,027

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.78 CLP 1,601

-27.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.85 CLP 1,666

-28.65%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.83 CLP 3,440

-40.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.66 CLP 6,884

-43.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.79 CLP 6,101

-13.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.93 CLP 9,822

-21.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.84 CLP 1,652

22.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.51 CLP 1,360

-29.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.60 CLP 1,434

-5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.46 CLP 1,314

-2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.30 CLP 1,166

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.35 CLP 1,216

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.27 CLP 1,140

-29.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.22 CLP 1,092

-26.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.54 CLP 4,980

-59.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$3.48 CLP 3,123

217.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.61 CLP 1,445

-29.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.22 CLP 1,997

7.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.63 CLP 564

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.47 CLP 426

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.37 CLP 1,229

-26.28%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$12.6K CLP 11.3M

39.59%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$15.4K CLP 13.9M

71.76%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$135 CLP 121.4K

-38.06%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$13.40 CLP 12.0K

-29.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$24.46 CLP 22.0K

-1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$16.19 CLP 14.5K

56.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.58 CLP 19.4K

-11.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$11.75 CLP 10.6K

-65.11%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$439 CLP 394.1K

-28.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$51.0 CLP 45.8K

13.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$30.24 CLP 27.2K

7.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$52.0 CLP 46.7K

91.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$68.3 CLP 61.4K

58.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$487 CLP 437.9K

-1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$373 CLP 335.4K

1.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$463 CLP 416.5K

80.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$597 CLP 536.6K

21.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,621 CLP 2.4M

-53.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$696 CLP 625.2K

-22.25%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chillan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $487 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chillan pays 29% 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 $190 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $1,047 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Chillan earns 29% less. 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: $482 in Medellin versus $487 in Chillan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Chillan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,047 in Chillan – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,047 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 3% less than in Chillan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.