Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Temuco Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Temuco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,189 in Temuco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,758 in Temuco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,327 in Temuco, rent included.

Medellin is about 14% cheaper than Temuco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Temuco are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Temuco 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$7.22 CLP 6,486

-17.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.40 CLP 29.1K

2.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.53 CLP 6,764

-3.98%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.93 CLP 3,535

-58.52%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.29 CLP 2,055

-52.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.27 CLP 1,144

-42.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.69 CLP 3,319

-52.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.43 CLP 3,080

-5.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.19 CLP 1,067

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.47 CLP 1,324

-12.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.30 CLP 1,173

1.54%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.40 CLP 3,053

-33.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.49 CLP 8,526

-54.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.33 CLP 5,686

-7.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.04 CLP 10.8K

-28.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.89 CLP 1,700

19.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.07 CLP 1,860

-48.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.21 CLP 1,988

-31.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.28 CLP 2,052

-37.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.46 CLP 2,209

-52.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.60 CLP 2,333

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.96 CLP 1,759

-54.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.23 CLP 1,107

-26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.77 CLP 4,291

-52.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.09 CLP 4,572

116.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.57 CLP 1,412

-27.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.15 CLP 1,935

10.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.88 CLP 788

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$35.47 CLP 31.9K

18.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.84 CLP 754

67.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.56 CLP 1,399

21.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$9.58 CLP 8,607

-19.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.42 CLP 1,274

-28.87%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$13.0K CLP 11.7M

35.54%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$18.1K CLP 16.2M

46.63%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$219 CLP 196.6K

-61.76%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.78 CLP 10.6K

-19.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$14.90 CLP 13.4K

61.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$50.6 CLP 45.5K

-50.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$47.64 CLP 42.8K

-59.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.72 CLP 4,238

-13.14%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$227 CLP 204.4K

37.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,864 CLP 2.6M

109.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$47.54 CLP 42.7K

22.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$18.02 CLP 16.2K

80.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$68.1 CLP 61.2K

46.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$89.1 CLP 80.1K

21.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$417 CLP 375.2K

15.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$344 CLP 309.2K

10.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$735 CLP 660.1K

14.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$538 CLP 483.2K

34.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,082 CLP 1.9M

36.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,780 CLP 1.6M

-31.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$555 CLP 498.8K

-2.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.8

179.79%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Temuco: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $417 in Temuco. 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 3% higher in Temuco, 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 $32.00 in Temuco. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $241 in Temuco – so Medellin 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 Temuco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Temuco is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,783 in Temuco. 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 $32.00 in Temuco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $1,189 in Temuco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Temuco at $1,189. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Temuco 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, Temuco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.