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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $552 in Chirchiq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $888 in Chirchiq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,224 in Chirchiq.

Living in Medellin is roughly 84% more expensive than Chirchiq, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Chirchiq 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.95 UZS 35.3K

101.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$20.80 UZS 249.1K

60.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$2.96 UZS 35.4K

144.26%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.85 UZS 22.2K

-11.89%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.58 UZS 6,964

87.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.25 UZS 2,969

192.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.02 UZS 12.2K

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.99 UZS 23.8K

62.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.02 UZS 12.2K

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.41 UZS 4,915

214.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.01 UZS 12.1K

30.69%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.23 UZS 14.8K

84.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.90 UZS 58.6K

-11.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.76 UZS 45.1K

56.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.34 UZS 99.9K

3.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.02 UZS 12.3K

120.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.74 UZS 20.9K

-38.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.15 UZS 25.7K

-29.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.02 UZS 12.2K

39.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.47 UZS 5,656

148.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.34 UZS 4,111

244.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.57 UZS 6,886

56.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.40 UZS 4,803

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.97 UZS 23.6K

14.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.61 UZS 79.1K

67.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.98 UZS 11.8K

16.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.92 UZS 34.9K

-18.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.17 UZS 2,040

394.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$5.13 UZS 61.5K

717.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.82 UZS 9,841

71.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.31 UZS 3,717

512.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.48 UZS 41.7K

122.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.73 UZS 8,748

38.36%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.2K UZS 242.3M

-13.09%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$25.2K UZS 301.9M

5.11%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$20.34 UZS 243.6K

311.41%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.66 UZS 43.8K

158.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$11.86 UZS 142.0K

103.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$15.11 UZS 181.0K

67.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$15.21 UZS 182.2K

25.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.89 UZS 58.5K

-16.16%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$293 UZS 3.5M

6.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$9,063 UZS 108.5M

-33.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$30.22 UZS 362.0K

92.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$48.91 UZS 585.7K

-33.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$100 UZS 1.2M

-0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$102 UZS 1.2M

6.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$216 UZS 2.6M

123.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$150 UZS 1.8M

152.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$298 UZS 3.6M

180.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$247 UZS 3.0M

192.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chirchiq: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $216 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 $144 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 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $828 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: $482 in Medellin versus $216 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 718% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $293 in Chirchiq. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $552 in Chirchiq versus $1,017 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 84% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.