Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puerto Montt Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puerto Montt

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $455 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $769 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,083 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

Medellin costs about 269% more than Puerto Montt, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Puerto Montt is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$8.42 CLP 8,036

-4.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$36.27 CLP 34.6K

31.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.51 CLP 7,165

31.69%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.78 CLP 2,650

12.59%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.90 CLP 861

112.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.96 CLP 916

57.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.17 CLP 1,120

23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.59 CLP 2,467

-3.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.45 CLP 1,381

22.07%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.21 CLP 3,060

-7.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$11.34 CLP 10.8K

-11.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.81 CLP 5,546

74.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.24 CLP 6,907

97.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.06 CLP 1,011

290.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.44 CLP 1,370

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.65 CLP 2,527

-15.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.87 CLP 1,784

20.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.59 CLP 1,514

-3.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.30 CLP 1,238

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.56 CLP 1,490

-16.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.84 CLP 4,618

-19.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$5.89 CLP 5,622

137.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.44 CLP 1,371

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.56 CLP 1,488

83.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.90 CLP 863

35.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.32 CLP 1,262

3.79%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$63.9 CLP 61.0K

177.33%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$11.40 CLP 10.9K

21.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$31.60 CLP 30.2K

-5.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$147 CLP 139.9K

454.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$529 CLP 505.0K

100.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Puerto Montt: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $529 in Puerto Montt. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Puerto Montt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $224 – making Puerto Montt the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Puerto Montt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 269%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $682 in Puerto Montt. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Montt, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Puerto Montt. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Montt, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Puerto Montt it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Montt – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Puerto Montt. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.