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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $977 in Curico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,423 in Curico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,870 in Curico.

Living in Medellin is roughly 4% more expensive than Curico, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Curico 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.88 CLP 4,382

21.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.32 CLP 29.0K

3.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.41 CLP 6,663

-2.43%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.16 CLP 2,843

-48.42%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.64 CLP 1,478

-33.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.10 CLP 992

-33.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.19 CLP 2,866

-45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.56 CLP 3,196

-9.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.24 CLP 1,116

-15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.52 CLP 1,365

-15.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.93 CLP 1,731

-31.61%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.22 CLP 1,992

2.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.59 CLP 9,514

-58.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.61 CLP 5,940

-11.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.00 CLP 9,882

-21.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.12 CLP 1,905

6.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.55 CLP 1,393

-30.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.03 CLP 1,821

-25.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.84 CLP 1,655

-22.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.93 CLP 1,732

-39.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.69 CLP 1,519

-30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.35 CLP 1,218

-34.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.98 CLP 881

-8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.60 CLP 5,030

-59.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.57 CLP 5,907

68.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.55 CLP 1,394

-26.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.51 CLP 2,253

-5.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.58 CLP 522

44.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.48 CLP 430

193.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.43 CLP 1,285

32.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$11.37 CLP 10.2K

-31.84%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

-8.71%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.7K CLP 20.4M

16.83%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$133 CLP 119.3K

-36.95%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$10.94 CLP 9,828

-13.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$21.37 CLP 19.2K

12.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$37.97 CLP 34.1K

-33.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$20.96 CLP 18.8K

-8.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.60 CLP 5,930

-37.88%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$430 CLP 386.2K

-27.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,740 CLP 7.9M

-31.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$56.0 CLP 50.4K

3.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$33.27 CLP 29.9K

-2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$38.35 CLP 34.5K

159.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$49.47 CLP 44.5K

119.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$447 CLP 401.7K

7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$292 CLP 262.0K

30.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$619 CLP 555.9K

35.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$410 CLP 368.8K

76.21%

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

$479 CLP 430.5K

12.90%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Curico: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $447 in Curico. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 13% 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 $231, 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 13% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $447 in Curico. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $430 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 $977 in Curico versus $1,017 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 4% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.