Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Talcahuano Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Talcahuano

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,097 in Talcahuano, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,630 in Talcahuano, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,163 in Talcahuano, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$8.56 CLP 7,699

-29.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$43.85 CLP 39.4K

-25.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$8.12 CLP 7,300

-8.62%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.81 CLP 2,523

-41.28%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$1.30 CLP 1,171

-17.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$1.07 CLP 961

-28.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$3.31 CLP 2,976

-48.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.10 CLP 3,685

-21.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.25 CLP 1,120

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.52 CLP 1,368

-13.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.88 CLP 1,687

-28.72%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$3.50 CLP 3,148

-37.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$10.50 CLP 9,447

-58.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$6.53 CLP 5,875

-12.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$11.14 CLP 10.0K

-23.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$1.90 CLP 1,711

23.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.52 CLP 1,369

-26.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.60 CLP 1,441

-5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.50 CLP 1,346

-8.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.24 CLP 1,116

-7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.39 CLP 1,253

-15.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.22 CLP 1,094

-31.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$1.18 CLP 1,065

-27.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$5.34 CLP 4,806

-57.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$6.39 CLP 5,746

81.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.62 CLP 1,458

-25.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.22 CLP 1,998

11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.62 CLP 561

27.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$0.47 CLP 422

212.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.41 CLP 1,271

-28.37%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$19.9K CLP 17.9M

-11.45%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$21.8K CLP 19.6M

21.43%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$134 CLP 120.3K

-39.37%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$13.72 CLP 12.3K

-31.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$21.97 CLP 19.8K

8.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$38.81 CLP 34.9K

-33.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$20.99 CLP 18.9K

-10.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$5.52 CLP 4,968

-25.91%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$435 CLP 391.4K

-27.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$49.75 CLP 44.7K

20.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$30.87 CLP 27.8K

3.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$61.2 CLP 55.0K

65.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$81.5 CLP 73.3K

28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$485 CLP 436.4K

0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$372 CLP 334.4K

-1.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$870 CLP 782.6K

-4.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$586 CLP 527.4K

24.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$674 CLP 605.8K

-18.22%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Talcahuano: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $485 in Talcahuano. 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 Talcahuano, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Talcahuano. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $230 – 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 Talcahuano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Talcahuano 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,646 in Talcahuano. 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 Talcahuano. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Talcahuano, 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 $1,028, than in Talcahuano at $1,097. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Talcahuano 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, Talcahuano makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.