Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chirchiq

For one person, living is cheaper in Chirchiq: $573 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
Chirchiq
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
$573
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Chirchiq

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Chirchiq actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Medellin versus $573 in Chirchiq.

  • Medellin $1,589
  • Chirchiq $573

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,364 in Medellin versus $966 in Chirchiq.

  • Medellin $2,364
  • Chirchiq $966

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Medellin versus $1,358 in Chirchiq.

  • Medellin $3,139
  • Chirchiq $1,358

Living in Medellin is roughly 177% more expensive than in Chirchiq, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Chirchiq is 57% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Chirchiq
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.01 COP 25.5K
$6.98 UZS 82.9K
14.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55 COP 148.4K
$33.63 UZS 399.2K
38.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.43 COP 30.1K
$5.13 UZS 60.9K
83.82%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,280
$2.68 UZS 31.8K
8.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 COP 5,586
$0.71 UZS 8,405
146.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 COP 4,220
$0.34 UZS 3,997
288.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.13 COP 9,972
$2.14 UZS 25.4K
46.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 COP 17.7K
$3.74 UZS 44.4K
48.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Chirchiq
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 COP 4,496
$1.29 UZS 15.3K
9.30%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 COP 7,779
$0.80 UZS 9,496
205.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 COP 5,192
$1.72 UZS 20.5K
-5.23%
Eggs
$2.82 COP 8,993
$1.86 UZS 22.1K
51.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.69 COP 30.9K
$8.19 UZS 97.2K
18.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.32 COP 29.7K
$4.20 UZS 49.8K
121.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.46 COP 42.9K
$12.80 UZS 152.0K
5.16%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 COP 12.8K
$1.50 UZS 17.8K
166.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 COP 4,720
$1.85 UZS 22.0K
-20.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 COP 6,770
$2.23 UZS 26.5K
-4.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,180
$1.73 UZS 20.5K
30.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 COP 6,093
$0.55 UZS 6,568
247.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 COP 5,162
$0.38 UZS 4,558
326.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,659
$1.04 UZS 12.4K
10.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 COP 4,022
$0.49 UZS 5,778
157.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82 COP 12.2K
$2.00 UZS 23.8K
91.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.11 COP 41.8K
$7.82 UZS 92.8K
67.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 COP 5,084
$1.38 UZS 16.4K
15.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,190
$3.66 UZS 43.4K
-38.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Chirchiq
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,732
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.0 COP 239.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,057
$0.84 UZS 9,951
51.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,533
$0.36 UZS 4,296
469.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.20 COP 26.1K
$3.27 UZS 38.8K
150.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 COP 4,047
$1.21 UZS 14.4K
4.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K COP 85.3M
$16.8K UZS 199.0M
59.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K COP 109.7M
$24.9K UZS 295.3M
38.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Chirchiq
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 COP 517.0K
$67.3 UZS 798.8K
141.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 COP 41.8K
$4.52 UZS 53.6K
190.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.09 COP 89.5K
$13.73 UZS 162.9K
104.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Chirchiq
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.33 COP 141.3K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 COP 52.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.09 COP 19.4K
$5.78 UZS 68.6K
5.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Chirchiq
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$764 COP 2.4M
$337 UZS 4.0M
127.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,904 COP 28.4M
$9,416 UZS 111.8M
-5.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Chirchiq
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.0 COP 270.8K
$50.1 UZS 594.4K
69.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 COP 183.2K
$58.7 UZS 697.2K
-2.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 COP 420.0K
$111 UZS 1.3M
18.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.8 COP 305.2K
$141 UZS 1.7M
-31.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Chirchiq
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$604 COP 1.9M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,802 COP 5.7M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$993 COP 3.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,921 COP 12.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,639 COP 5.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Chirchiq
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$626 COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
23.31
-53.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Chirchiq: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$604
Chirchiq
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$288
Chirchiq
$198 31.5% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$203
Chirchiq
$86 58% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$166
Chirchiq
$162 2.5% $4.2
Eating Out
Medellin
$166
Chirchiq
$126 24.4% $41
Getting Around
Medellin
$91
Chirchiq
$2.7 * 97.1% $89
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Chirchiq
$12 * 79.5% $45

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Medellin vs $34.00 in Chirchiq for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $198 per month, with Chirchiq cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇿 Chirchiq
🕒 Local time
19:38 7:38 PM
05:38 5:38 AM
10 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
143,600
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UZS, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,572 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Uzbekistani Som exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 11,870 UZS (100,000 UZS = 8.42 USD). 1 EUR = 13,303 UZS (100,000 UZS = 7.52 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Chirchiq 13,640 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Chirchiq

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Chirchiq cheaper than Medellin?
Chirchiq is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 177% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,384 in Medellin and $860 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $764 in Medellin versus $337 in Chirchiq. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Chirchiq?
Dining out is cheaper in Chirchiq – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $47.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Chirchiq?
At $573 in Chirchiq versus $1,589 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.
Is Medellin or Chirchiq more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Chirchiq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 177% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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