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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,189 in Puerto Varas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,680 in Puerto Varas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,171 in Puerto Varas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Puerto Varas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Puerto Varas is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$13.02 CLP 12.2K

-38.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$42.21 CLP 39.4K

14.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$7.89 CLP 7,366

23.83%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$3.41 CLP 3,184

-14.66%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.04 CLP 973

86.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.86 CLP 803

76.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.16 CLP 1,086

17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.89 CLP 1,764

26.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.61 CLP 1,503

5.59%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$3.22 CLP 3,007

-10.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$9.14 CLP 8,531

8.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.91 CLP 4,589

119.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$9.33 CLP 8,707

57.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.84 CLP 1,722

122.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.98 CLP 1,849

-20.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.58 CLP 2,413

-17.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.96 CLP 1,834

12.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.57 CLP 1,461

30.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.25 CLP 1,169

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.36 CLP 1,268

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$1.19 CLP 1,111

-2.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.25 CLP 4,906

-25.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$4.84 CLP 4,515

198.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.43 CLP 1,336

10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$1.26 CLP 1,181

124.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$1.15 CLP 1,074

1.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$265 CLP 247.6K

-33.61%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$17.11 CLP 16.0K

-21.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$32.25 CLP 30.1K

38.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$511 CLP 477.3K

55.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$6,511 CLP 6.1M

38.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$21.03 CLP 19.6K

307.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$15.74 CLP 14.7K

271.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$64.1 CLP 59.9K

112.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$643 CLP 600.8K

64.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$421 CLP 393.0K

61.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$863 CLP 805.4K

133.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$641 CLP 598.4K

82.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$547 CLP 510.8K

21.60%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Puerto Varas: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $643 in Puerto Varas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $42.00 in Puerto Varas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $217 – making Puerto Varas 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 Varas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,783 in Puerto Varas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Varas, 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 $42.00 in Puerto Varas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 Varas, where all-in costs run around $1,189, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Puerto Varas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Varas – 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 Varas. 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.