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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $340 in Chingola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $580 in Chingola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $820 in Chingola.

Living in Medellin is roughly 197% more expensive than Chingola, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Chingola 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$12.64 ZMW 226

-52.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$20.63 ZMW 368

59.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.39 ZMW 6.99

182.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.30 ZMW 5.37

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$0.52 ZMW 9.23

223.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.03 ZMW 18.38

198.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.03 ZMW 18.41

5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.83 ZMW 14.76

51.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.13 ZMW 38.01

-35.21%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.09 ZMW 19.39

100.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.02 ZMW 36.09

178.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$3.74 ZMW 66.8

137.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.62 ZMW 28.83

44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.63 ZMW 29.17

-34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.70 ZMW 30.39

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.61 ZMW 28.77

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.43 ZMW 43.30

-52.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.20 ZMW 21.50

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.74 ZMW 13.13

13.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.26 ZMW 22.47

80.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$5.43 ZMW 97.0

95.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.51 ZMW 9.17

135.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$0.60 ZMW 10.63

311.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.44 ZMW 7.91

345.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.40 ZMW 150

-7.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.22 ZMW 21.77

-22.13%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$42.04 ZMW 750

95.65%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$8.23 ZMW 147

214.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$16.28 ZMW 291

260.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$10.28 ZMW 184

214.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$41.08 ZMW 733

149.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$62.3 ZMW 1,111

74.16%

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 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$16.2K ZMW 289.3K

-92.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$121 ZMW 2,161

322.71%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chingola: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 323% 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 $188 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 197% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 323% more on average, 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 59% 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 $340 in Chingola versus $1,013 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 197% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.