Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chimaltenango Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chimaltenango

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $730 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,212 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,694 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Chimaltenango, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Chimaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Chimaltenango 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.08 Q 38.72

17.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$50.8 Q 387

-35.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.44 Q 49.03

10.09%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.30 Q 25.10

-48.18%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.23 Q 9.40

-10.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.91 Q 6.95

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$3.29 Q 25.10

-48.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$4.69 Q 35.71

-34.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.09 Q 15.95

-47.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.03 Q 23.06

-58.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.06 Q 15.69

-33.01%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.65 Q 20.19

-17.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.75 Q 59.0

-43.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.38 Q 63.8

-32.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$11.58 Q 88.2

-23.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.69 Q 28.10

-36.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.57 Q 11.95

-32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.01 Q 22.95

-50.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.78 Q 13.53

-22.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.69 Q 12.84

-31.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.36 Q 18.01

-50.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.75 Q 5.68

18.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.23 Q 9.35

-31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.73 Q 28.45

-38.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.28 Q 63.1

28.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.62 Q 12.36

-25.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.41 Q 18.36

2.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$5.19 Q 39.56

-71.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.60 Q 4.56

226.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$15.64 Q 119

-50.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.11 Q 8.46

-14.41%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$19.9K Q 151.5K

-8.85%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$24.9K Q 189.9K

6.23%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$80.2 Q 611

2.57%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$26.30 Q 200

-63.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$48.04 Q 366

-49.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.22 Q 55.0

-45.57%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$244 Q 1,855

27.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,786 Q 44.1K

3.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$49.30 Q 376

18.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$52.3 Q 398

-38.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$118 Q 897

-12.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$120 Q 913

-9.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.9

50.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chimaltenango: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $51.0 in Chimaltenango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $276 – 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 Chimaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 39% more than Chimaltenango, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,094 in Chimaltenango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $51.0 in Chimaltenango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 46% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chimaltenango, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Chimaltenango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chimaltenango costs $730 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chimaltenango. 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.