Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chimbote Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chimbote

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Medellin versus $19.63 in Chimbote.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,364 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Chimbote.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Medellin versus $42.74 in Chimbote.

Living in Medellin is roughly 7997% more expensive than in Chimbote, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Chimbote is 99% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.5K

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,398

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

$1.75 COP 5,657

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,273

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,553

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,878

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,258

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,107

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.4K

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,780

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,856

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,271

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,171

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,228

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,706

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,074

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,149

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,282

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,779

$0.95 PEN 3.27

23.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 242.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,108

$1.51 PEN 5.21

-15.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,616

$2.91 PEN 10.01

-29.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.5K

$2.97 PEN 10.23

176.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,098

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

$26.8K COP 86.4M

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

$34.4K COP 111.1M

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

$162 COP 523.6K

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

$13.12 COP 42.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.6K

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

$764 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 274.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 185.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 425.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 309.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Chimbote: October 4, 2026

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 Chimbote: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chimbote is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 7997% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,384 in Medellin and $29.45 in Chimbote to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

At $19.63 in Chimbote versus $1,589 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chimbote but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chimbote the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Medellin and Chimbote are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chimbote gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7997% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.