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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $952 in Curico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,404 in Curico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,857 in Curico.

Living in Medellin is roughly 5% more expensive than in Curico, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Curico 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.80 CLP 4,469

23.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$32.79 CLP 30.5K

0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.43 CLP 6,913

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.29 CLP 3,057

-49.85%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.59 CLP 1,477

-30.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.07 CLP 991

-27.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.21 CLP 2,988

-46.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.58 CLP 3,331

-11.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.22 CLP 1,137

-9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.54 CLP 1,430

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.92 CLP 1,787

-28.13%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.27 CLP 2,112

-3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$10.39 CLP 9,667

-56.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.61 CLP 6,155

-12.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.88 CLP 10.1K

-17.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.11 CLP 1,961

9.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.57 CLP 1,459

-32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.05 CLP 1,909

-25.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.88 CLP 1,747

-27.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.95 CLP 1,816

-42.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.70 CLP 1,581

-31.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.29 CLP 1,198

-30.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.94 CLP 873

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.83 CLP 5,425

-61.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.15 CLP 5,718

97.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.62 CLP 1,508

-26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.60 CLP 2,417

-4.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.58 CLP 543

46.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.51 CLP 473

178.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.45 CLP 1,349

34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$11.61 CLP 10.8K

-32.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.41 CLP 1,316

-29.79%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.7K CLP 18.3M

-10.43%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.8K CLP 21.2M

17.47%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$134 CLP 124.9K

-38.17%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$10.90 CLP 10.1K

-11.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$21.80 CLP 20.3K

7.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$39.07 CLP 36.3K

-35.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$21.29 CLP 19.8K

-10.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.42 CLP 5,973

-38.47%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$439 CLP 408.1K

-27.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,696 CLP 8.1M

-31.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$54.7 CLP 50.9K

9.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$32.52 CLP 30.3K

-2.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$37.52 CLP 34.9K

170.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$49.44 CLP 46.0K

117.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$444 CLP 413.4K

6.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$299 CLP 277.9K

25.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$621 CLP 577.9K

36.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$400 CLP 371.8K

80.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$474 CLP 440.7K

31.83%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Curico: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $444 in Curico. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 32% 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 $33.00 in Curico for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $230 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 Curico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Curico is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Medellin, 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: $475 in Medellin versus $444 in Curico. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $439 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 $33.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $952 in Curico versus $1,003 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 5% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.