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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,103 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,660 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,217 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Puerto Montt, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Puerto Montt are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Puerto Montt 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.45 CLP 7,515

-29.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$38.39 CLP 34.1K

-14.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.69 CLP 6,838

-6.37%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.94 CLP 2,611

-42.18%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.94 CLP 833

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.00 CLP 886

-28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.28 CLP 2,914

-49.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.13 CLP 3,677

-24.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.16 CLP 1,035

-8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.50 CLP 1,334

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.92 CLP 1,710

-27.60%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.25 CLP 2,893

-30.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.95 CLP 10.6K

-63.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.48 CLP 5,760

-9.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.85 CLP 9,646

-18.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.89 CLP 1,677

18.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.49 CLP 1,328

-27.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.60 CLP 1,421

-4.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.91 CLP 1,699

-28.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.28 CLP 1,141

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.40 CLP 1,245

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.38 CLP 1,230

-38.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.52 CLP 1,348

-40.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.86 CLP 4,324

-52.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.32 CLP 5,618

76.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.47 CLP 1,310

-19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.22 CLP 1,974

6.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.62 CLP 554

27.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.51 CLP 455

182.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.43 CLP 1,270

-34.27%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.2K CLP 17.1M

-6.74%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.2K CLP 18.8M

26.55%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$133 CLP 118.2K

-36.84%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$11.62 CLP 10.3K

-17.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.25 CLP 19.8K

8.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$38.09 CLP 33.9K

-32.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.45 CLP 19.1K

-11.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.62 CLP 4,994

-30.25%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$433 CLP 385.2K

-29.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$51.5 CLP 45.8K

12.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$30.65 CLP 27.3K

3.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$62.2 CLP 55.3K

60.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$81.2 CLP 72.2K

31.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$472 CLP 419.6K

3.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$374 CLP 332.8K

-1.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$886 CLP 787.4K

-6.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$595 CLP 528.8K

20.41%

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

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Puerto Montt: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $472 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 $237 – 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 7%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,655 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 25% 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 $1,034, than in Puerto Montt at $1,103. 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.