Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chone Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chone

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $866 in Chone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,302 in Chone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,737 in Chone.

Living in Medellin is roughly 19% more expensive than in Chone, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Chone 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.56 $3.56

73.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$24.77 $24.77

31.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.13 $7.13

2.95%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.52 $2.52

-31.75%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.90 $0.90

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.65 $0.65

18.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.01 $2.01

-15.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.46 $3.46

-8.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.07 $1.07

-1.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.69 $1.69

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.52 $1.52

-7.89%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.22 $2.22

-2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.17 $6.17

-28.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.40 $5.40

8.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.42 $6.42

34.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.10 $2.10

8.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.09 $1.09

1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.10 $1.10

39.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.04 $1.04

29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.38 $1.38

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.03 $1.03

9.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.68 $0.68

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.07 $1.07

-14.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.91 $5.91

-60.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.71 $8.71

42.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.52 $1.52

-21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.82 $2.82

-11.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.33 $0.33

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$24.17 $24.17

67.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.23 $1.23

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.02 $1.02

88.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$9.88 $9.88

-22.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.67 $0.67

47.76%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.7K $19.7K

-8.30%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$29.1K $29.1K

-8.64%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$37.56 $37.56

115.15%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.82 $13.82

-28.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$30.27 $30.27

-20.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$30.43 $30.43

-17.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.91 $14.91

28.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.38 $7.38

-46.07%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$250 $250

22.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,703 $5,703

6.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$55.7 $55.7

4.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$42.44 $42.44

-24.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$95.4 $95.4

5.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$66.9 $66.9

61.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$338 $338

41.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$315 $315

19.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$632 $632

33.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$489 $489

49.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,230 $1,230

161.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$875 $875

56.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.6

26.70%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chone: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $338 in Chone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Chone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $186 per month, with Chone 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 Chone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chone wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,299 in Chone 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: $477 in Medellin versus $338 in Chone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $866 in Chone – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chone runs roughly 68% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $866 in Chone versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chone but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chone delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chone hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Chone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.