Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chirchiq Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chirchiq

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $549 in Chirchiq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $886 in Chirchiq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,224 in Chirchiq.

Living in Medellin is roughly 88% more expensive than Chirchiq, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Chirchiq 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.04 UZS 36.6K

94.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$21.21 UZS 255.4K

54.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$2.95 UZS 35.5K

144.07%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.88 UZS 22.6K

-9.57%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.62 UZS 7,511

77.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.25 UZS 2,978

188.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$0.98 UZS 11.7K

70.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.95 UZS 23.5K

58.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.02 UZS 12.3K

3.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.41 UZS 4,946

204.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.03 UZS 12.4K

34.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.23 UZS 14.8K

83.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.01 UZS 60.3K

-13.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.74 UZS 45.1K

56.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.42 UZS 101.3K

4.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.99 UZS 11.9K

126.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.74 UZS 20.9K

-37.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.12 UZS 25.5K

-27.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.02 UZS 12.2K

34.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.51 UZS 6,164

121.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.34 UZS 4,104

229.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.62 UZS 7,412

37.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.41 UZS 4,919

121.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.96 UZS 23.6K

18.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.55 UZS 78.8K

69.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.02 UZS 12.3K

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.07 UZS 37.0K

-22.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.18 UZS 2,153

338.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$5.02 UZS 60.4K

719.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.81 UZS 9,811

77.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.31 UZS 3,770

516.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.62 UZS 43.6K

121.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.67 UZS 8,013

40.30%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.7K UZS 237.4M

-9.10%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.3K UZS 304.9M

5.79%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$19.75 UZS 237.8K

325.11%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.66 UZS 44.1K

162.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$11.61 UZS 139.8K

108.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$15.17 UZS 182.6K

70.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$15.02 UZS 180.9K

26.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.04 UZS 60.6K

-22.22%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$293 UZS 3.5M

4.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,953 UZS 107.8M

-33.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$29.52 UZS 355.5K

96.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$49.34 UZS 594.1K

-35.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$98.6 UZS 1.2M

1.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$102 UZS 1.2M

5.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$215 UZS 2.6M

126.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$148 UZS 1.8M

149.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$296 UZS 3.6M

178.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$250 UZS 3.0M

186.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.07

-39.15%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chirchiq: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $215 in Chirchiq. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $21.00 in Chirchiq for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $145 per month, with Chirchiq 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 Chirchiq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chirchiq is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $823 in Chirchiq 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $215 in Chirchiq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chirchiq runs roughly 719% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $293 in Chirchiq. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $549 in Chirchiq versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chirchiq but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chirchiq the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chirchiq 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 Chirchiq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.