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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,069 in Quellón, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,633 in Quellón, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,197 in Quellón, rent included.

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

Both Medellin and Quellón are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Quellón 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$8.61 CLP 8,033

-31.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$44.10 CLP 41.1K

-25.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$8.19 CLP 7,638

-9.28%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.84 CLP 2,650

-41.90%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.29 CLP 1,207

-14.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$1.03 CLP 960

-24.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$3.31 CLP 3,090

-48.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$4.23 CLP 3,945

-24.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.20 CLP 1,119

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.55 CLP 1,447

-18.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.89 CLP 1,762

-26.98%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$3.51 CLP 3,274

-37.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$10.55 CLP 9,842

-57.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$6.81 CLP 6,349

-14.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$10.80 CLP 10.1K

-16.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.90 CLP 1,768

22.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.56 CLP 1,452

-32.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.58 CLP 1,477

-3.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.52 CLP 1,420

-10.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.23 CLP 1,148

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.36 CLP 1,267

-13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.27 CLP 1,184

-29.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$1.23 CLP 1,148

-26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$5.46 CLP 5,094

-59.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$5.90 CLP 5,499

105.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.63 CLP 1,517

-26.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.30 CLP 2,143

7.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.57 CLP 533

49.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.47 CLP 440

202.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.38 CLP 1,288

-28.26%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

-10.38%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$21.8K CLP 20.3M

23.20%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$130 CLP 121.2K

-36.09%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$13.48 CLP 12.6K

-28.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$21.70 CLP 20.2K

8.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$39.07 CLP 36.4K

-35.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$21.39 CLP 20.0K

-10.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$5.75 CLP 5,362

-31.30%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$438 CLP 408.7K

-27.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$50.1 CLP 46.7K

19.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$30.03 CLP 28.0K

5.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$60.5 CLP 56.4K

67.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$84.0 CLP 78.3K

27.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$483 CLP 450.8K

-1.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$377 CLP 351.2K

-0.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$882 CLP 822.4K

-3.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$586 CLP 546.6K

22.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Quellón: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $483 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 $44.00 in Quellón. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $231 – 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 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,603 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 $44.00 in Quellón. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $1,003, than in Quellón at $1,069. 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.