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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $581 in Quellón, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $989 in Quellón, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,397 in Quellón, rent included.

Medellin costs about 183% more than Quellón, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Quellón is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$52.8 CLP 49.7K

-8.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$2.70 CLP 2,539

8.89%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$1.29 CLP 1,216

44.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$0.82 CLP 770

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

$3.23 CLP 3,038

-0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.26 CLP 3,070

75.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$1.26 CLP 1,188

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$1.09 CLP 1,023

120.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$2.12 CLP 1,998

-19.81%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$2.97 CLP 2,795

-2.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$6.27 CLP 5,899

60.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.95 CLP 1,835

104.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$2.31 CLP 2,170

-31.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$3.82 CLP 3,597

-43.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$1.96 CLP 1,840

17.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$1.09 CLP 1,030

83.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$2.09 CLP 1,966

-27.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$1.05 CLP 986

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$2.19 CLP 2,066

-41.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$9.51 CLP 8,946

47.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

$2.86 CLP 2,694

-40.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

$1.90 CLP 1,787

44.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

$0.49 CLP 465

155.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$3.27 CLP 3,077

-59.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$1.37 CLP 1,288

-0.73%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

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

$169 COP 519.5K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$32.71 CLP 30.8K

-13.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

$54.1 CLP 50.9K

-15.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$27.06 CLP 25.5K

222.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$52.7 CLP 49.6K

163.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$268 CLP 252.3K

299.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$210 CLP 197.9K

210.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$427 CLP 402.3K

350.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$374 CLP 351.9K

180.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Quellón: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $268 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $53.0 in Quellón. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $186 in Quellón – so Quellón wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 183%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $871 in Quellón. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quellón, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $53.0 in Quellón. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Quellón, where all-in costs run around $581, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Quellón it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quellón – 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 Quellón. 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.