Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chingola Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chingola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $338 in Chingola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $579 in Chingola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $821 in Chingola.

Living in Medellin is roughly 205% more expensive than in Chingola, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Chingola 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$12.20 ZMW 222

-49.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$21.15 ZMW 385

54.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.40 ZMW 7.22

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.30 ZMW 5.48

156.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.48 ZMW 8.66

252.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.02 ZMW 18.50

210.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.00 ZMW 18.12

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.82 ZMW 14.89

58.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.11 ZMW 38.40

-33.65%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.14 ZMW 20.66

89.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.04 ZMW 37.20

188.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$3.65 ZMW 66.4

136.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.68 ZMW 30.53

35.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.67 ZMW 30.45

-33.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.64 ZMW 29.94

-6.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.69 ZMW 30.79

-20.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.53 ZMW 46.04

-55.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.22 ZMW 22.21

-7.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.69 ZMW 12.50

31.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.27 ZMW 23.05

84.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.66 ZMW 103

118.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.48 ZMW 8.81

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$0.60 ZMW 10.95

315.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.45 ZMW 8.17

326.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.31 ZMW 151

-7.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.22 ZMW 22.13

-18.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$42.20 ZMW 768

91.49%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$8.08 ZMW 147

210.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$16.57 ZMW 302

250.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$10.28 ZMW 187

213.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$40.97 ZMW 746

145.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$62.6 ZMW 1,139

72.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$16.9K ZMW 306.9K

-91.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$120 ZMW 2,183

414.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chingola: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 414% 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 $21.00 in Chingola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $119 per month, with Chingola 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 Chingola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chingola is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 205% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 414% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $338 in Chingola versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chingola 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.

Expats usually find Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 205% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.