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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,110 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,648 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,186 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Puerto Montt, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Puerto Montt are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Puerto Montt 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.72 CLP 7,834

-31.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$38.31 CLP 34.4K

-13.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.38 CLP 6,629

-2.03%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.99 CLP 2,689

-45.48%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.94 CLP 845

15.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.93 CLP 833

-21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.15 CLP 2,835

-44.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.09 CLP 3,678

-21.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.21 CLP 1,085

-13.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.56 CLP 1,404

-17.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.92 CLP 1,723

-31.25%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.45 CLP 3,099

-34.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.97 CLP 10.8K

-63.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.82 CLP 6,127

-13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.01 CLP 9,893

-21.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.90 CLP 1,712

18.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.48 CLP 1,334

-27.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.54 CLP 1,385

-1.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.94 CLP 1,745

-26.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.29 CLP 1,158

-9.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.41 CLP 1,271

-17.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.33 CLP 1,197

-33.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.52 CLP 1,369

-40.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.89 CLP 4,391

-53.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.98 CLP 5,377

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.45 CLP 1,302

-21.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.30 CLP 2,067

3.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.58 CLP 519

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 429

193.75%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

-8.86%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.7K CLP 19.5M

22.25%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$132 CLP 119.1K

-36.84%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.74 CLP 10.6K

-19.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$22.29 CLP 20.0K

8.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$39.31 CLP 35.3K

-35.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.05 CLP 18.9K

-9.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.54 CLP 4,983

-25.99%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$441 CLP 396.4K

-29.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$50.4 CLP 45.3K

15.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$30.82 CLP 27.7K

5.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$62.5 CLP 56.2K

59.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$81.7 CLP 73.5K

32.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$482 CLP 432.7K

0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$369 CLP 331.5K

2.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$869 CLP 781.2K

-3.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$599 CLP 538.1K

20.76%

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

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 Puerto Montt: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $482 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Puerto Montt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $241 – making Medellin 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 – Puerto Montt is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,664 in Puerto Montt. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Puerto Montt. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Puerto Montt, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Puerto Montt at $1,110. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto Montt it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Puerto Montt makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.