Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chiquimula Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chiquimula

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $879 in Chiquimula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,417 in Chiquimula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,954 in Chiquimula, rent included.

Medellin costs about 95% more than Chiquimula, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Chiquimula is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$8.96 Q 68.3

-10.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$51.6 Q 394

-6.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$9.08 Q 69.3

7.60%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$4.21 Q 32.14

-30.88%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$2.24 Q 17.08

-13.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$1.49 Q 11.38

2.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$3.81 Q 29.10

-18.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$5.93 Q 45.22

-3.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$2.19 Q 16.73

-37.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$4.97 Q 37.89

-51.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.59 Q 12.17

6.92%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.63 Q 20.03

9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$5.44 Q 41.50

82.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$15.94 Q 122

-32.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$10.23 Q 78.0

43.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$4.48 Q 34.21

-8.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.14 Q 16.30

-26.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$5.24 Q 39.96

-59.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$1.58 Q 12.06

39.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$1.87 Q 14.30

9.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.78 Q 13.61

-15.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.35 Q 10.29

-11.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$1.33 Q 10.15

-12.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.89 Q 29.69

0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$9.14 Q 69.8

57.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$3.28 Q 25.04

-51.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$4.07 Q 31.05

-30.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$4.75 Q 36.20

-73.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.22 Q 9.30

6.56%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$22.5K Q 171.8K

22.84%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$22.0K Q 167.7K

61.52%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$62.2 Q 474

183.30%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$39.70 Q 303

-66.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$68.1 Q 519

-56.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$8.52 Q 65.0

-27.23%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$535 Q 4,085

48.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$14.2K Q 108.2K

-36.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$43.54 Q 332

96.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$52.8 Q 403

10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$92.9 Q 709

46.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$88.3 Q 674

16.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiquimula: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $52.0 in Chiquimula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $353 – 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 Chiquimula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,319 in Chiquimula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $52.0 in Chiquimula. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chiquimula, where all-in costs run around $879, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Chiquimula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiquimula – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Chiquimula. 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.