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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,069 in Coquimbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,622 in Coquimbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,176 in Coquimbo.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 5% less than in Coquimbo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Coquimbo 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.66 CLP 7,783

-31.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$44.66 CLP 40.1K

-25.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.21 CLP 7,378

-11.94%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.72 CLP 2,441

-40.07%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.30 CLP 1,165

-16.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.02 CLP 915

-28.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.21 CLP 2,883

-45.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.06 CLP 3,650

-20.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.06 CLP 950

-0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.53 CLP 1,374

-15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.92 CLP 1,726

-31.25%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.43 CLP 3,079

-33.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.34 CLP 9,295

-57.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.72 CLP 6,039

-12.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.79 CLP 9,695

-20.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.82 CLP 1,633

23.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.52 CLP 1,362

-29.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.55 CLP 1,391

-1.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.45 CLP 1,304

-2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.27 CLP 1,143

-7.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.42 CLP 1,277

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.27 CLP 1,141

-29.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.19 CLP 1,068

-24.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.51 CLP 4,950

-59.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.02 CLP 5,411

83.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.56 CLP 1,402

-26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.21 CLP 1,988

7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.63 CLP 564

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.47 CLP 419

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.37 CLP 1,235

-26.28%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.6K CLP 17.6M

-10.17%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

24.56%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$132 CLP 118.9K

-36.76%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$13.32 CLP 12.0K

-29.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$21.78 CLP 19.6K

10.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$37.95 CLP 34.1K

-33.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.29 CLP 19.1K

-10.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.81 CLP 5,222

-29.43%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$438 CLP 394.0K

-28.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$51.6 CLP 46.4K

12.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$29.86 CLP 26.8K

9.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$62.1 CLP 55.8K

60.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$83.2 CLP 74.8K

30.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$486 CLP 436.4K

-0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$373 CLP 335.5K

1.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$892 CLP 801.6K

-6.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$592 CLP 531.7K

22.21%

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

$661 CLP 594.3K

-18.21%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Coquimbo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $486 in Coquimbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquimbo pays 22% 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 $45.00 in Coquimbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $226 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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $1,069 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Coquimbo earns 22% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $486 in Coquimbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $438 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 $45.00 in Coquimbo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,069 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 5% less than in Coquimbo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.