Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Coquimbo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Coquimbo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,068 in Coquimbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,617 in Coquimbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,165 in Coquimbo.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 3% less than in Coquimbo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Coquimbo 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.59 CLP 7,642

-31.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$43.78 CLP 38.9K

-25.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.91 CLP 7,030

-8.98%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.70 CLP 2,405

-37.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.35 CLP 1,200

-18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.01 CLP 901

-28.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.19 CLP 2,841

-47.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.15 CLP 3,688

-25.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.09 CLP 971

-2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.58 CLP 1,402

-20.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.86 CLP 1,651

-25.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.51 CLP 3,121

-35.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.30 CLP 9,162

-57.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.50 CLP 5,779

-10.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.07 CLP 9,845

-20.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.80 CLP 1,601

24.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.58 CLP 1,407

-31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.59 CLP 1,416

-3.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.50 CLP 1,332

-8.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.28 CLP 1,140

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.35 CLP 1,203

-17.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.28 CLP 1,135

-33.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.17 CLP 1,043

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.36 CLP 4,763

-56.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.14 CLP 8,131

21.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.57 CLP 1,396

-24.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.20 CLP 1,961

7.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.62 CLP 549

27.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.51 CLP 454

182.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.39 CLP 1,233

-32.37%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

-7.11%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.3K CLP 18.9M

25.86%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$134 CLP 119.3K

-37.43%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$13.41 CLP 11.9K

-28.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$21.84 CLP 19.4K

10.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$38.75 CLP 34.5K

-33.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.16 CLP 18.8K

-10.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.81 CLP 5,171

-32.53%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$431 CLP 383.3K

-28.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$50.0 CLP 44.5K

15.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$29.98 CLP 26.7K

6.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$61.8 CLP 54.9K

61.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$83.0 CLP 73.8K

29.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$472 CLP 419.4K

3.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$372 CLP 330.6K

-1.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$878 CLP 780.4K

-5.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$584 CLP 519.6K

22.54%

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

$661 CLP 587.7K

-17.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.18

159.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Coquimbo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $472 in Coquimbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquimbo pays 21% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in Coquimbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $233 per month, with Medellin 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 Coquimbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Coquimbo differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $1,068 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Coquimbo earns 21% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $472 in Coquimbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $431 in Coquimbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $44.00 in Coquimbo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,068 in Coquimbo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Coquimbo. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Coquimbo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.