Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Curico Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Curico

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $950 in Curico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,413 in Curico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,876 in Curico.

Living in Medellin is roughly 9% more expensive than Curico, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Curico 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.74 CLP 4,217

24.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$32.23 CLP 28.7K

1.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.38 CLP 6,564

-2.44%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.13 CLP 2,781

-45.69%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.60 CLP 1,421

-31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.09 CLP 972

-33.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.25 CLP 2,890

-48.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.51 CLP 3,123

-11.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.23 CLP 1,093

-13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.53 CLP 1,363

-18.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.98 CLP 1,764

-29.80%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.29 CLP 2,033

-1.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.33 CLP 9,189

-58.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.62 CLP 5,891

-11.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.98 CLP 9,760

-19.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.01 CLP 1,791

11.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.60 CLP 1,427

-32.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.14 CLP 1,901

-28.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.94 CLP 1,728

-29.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.93 CLP 1,721

-41.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.66 CLP 1,480

-32.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.31 CLP 1,161

-35.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.99 CLP 883

-8.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.79 CLP 5,145

-59.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.54 CLP 5,811

70.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.61 CLP 1,431

-26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.47 CLP 2,193

-4.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.58 CLP 519

36.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.47 CLP 420

206.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.42 CLP 1,260

34.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$11.33 CLP 10.1K

-29.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.36 CLP 1,212

-30.88%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.7K CLP 17.5M

-9.04%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$22.8K CLP 20.3M

17.50%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$135 CLP 119.7K

-37.60%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$10.87 CLP 9,663

-11.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$21.30 CLP 18.9K

13.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$38.38 CLP 34.1K

-32.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$20.88 CLP 18.6K

-8.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.62 CLP 5,882

-40.79%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$438 CLP 389.7K

-30.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,524 CLP 7.6M

-30.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$56.3 CLP 50.0K

2.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$33.11 CLP 29.4K

-3.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$37.57 CLP 33.4K

165.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$48.90 CLP 43.5K

119.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$442 CLP 393.4K

10.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$291 CLP 258.8K

26.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$631 CLP 561.5K

30.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$409 CLP 363.6K

75.11%

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

$500 CLP 444.4K

9.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

168.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Curico: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $442 in Curico. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 9% 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 $32.00 in Curico. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $232, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Curico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Curico is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 9% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $442 in Curico. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $438 in Curico. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Curico – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $950 in Curico versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Curico but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Curico the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Curico 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 Curico gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.