Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quellón Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quellón

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,075 in Quellón, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,663 in Quellón, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,251 in Quellón, rent included.

Medellin is about 4% cheaper than Quellón, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Quellón are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Quellón 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.54 CLP 7,592

-30.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$44.87 CLP 39.9K

-27.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.06 CLP 7,166

-10.67%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.86 CLP 2,539

-40.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.29 CLP 1,150

-14.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.01 CLP 900

-28.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.30 CLP 2,933

-49.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.21 CLP 3,746

-26.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.19 CLP 1,058

-10.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.57 CLP 1,392

-20.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.96 CLP 1,740

-29.08%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.61 CLP 3,208

-37.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.45 CLP 9,291

-58.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.50 CLP 5,783

-10.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.83 CLP 9,626

-18.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.87 CLP 1,665

19.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.50 CLP 1,338

-28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.59 CLP 1,414

-3.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.46 CLP 1,301

-6.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.23 CLP 1,094

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.41 CLP 1,253

-20.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.25 CLP 1,112

-32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.17 CLP 1,043

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.41 CLP 4,811

-56.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.23 CLP 9,093

8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.62 CLP 1,440

-26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.33 CLP 2,076

1.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.61 CLP 543

29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.48 CLP 425

200.00%

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

$1.38 CLP 1,223

-31.88%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.7K CLP 17.5M

-9.10%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.1K CLP 18.8M

26.69%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$130 CLP 115.3K

-35.25%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$13.31 CLP 11.8K

-27.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.35 CLP 19.9K

8.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$38.25 CLP 34.0K

-32.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.49 CLP 19.1K

-11.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.52 CLP 4,910

-28.99%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$428 CLP 380.8K

-28.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$50.3 CLP 44.8K

15.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$30.11 CLP 26.8K

5.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$61.1 CLP 54.3K

63.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$83.4 CLP 74.1K

28.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$480 CLP 426.5K

1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$369 CLP 328.1K

-0.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$870 CLP 773.2K

-5.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$593 CLP 527.2K

20.79%

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 Quellón: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $480 in Quellón. 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 $45.00 in Quellón. 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 Quellón: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quellón is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,612 in Quellón. 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 $45.00 in Quellón. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Quellón, 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 Quellón at $1,075. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quellón 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, Quellón makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.