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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,113 in Temuco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,656 in Temuco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,199 in Temuco, rent included.

Medellin costs about 51% more than Temuco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Temuco is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$7.66 CLP 7,309

4.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$31.48 CLP 30.0K

52.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.14 CLP 6,817

38.52%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.87 CLP 3,693

-19.12%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.25 CLP 2,143

-15.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.15 CLP 1,093

31.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$3.72 CLP 3,553

-16.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.35 CLP 3,199

71.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.18 CLP 1,121

22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.43 CLP 1,366

74.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.33 CLP 1,265

33.08%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.48 CLP 3,317

-14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.25 CLP 8,828

8.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.05 CLP 5,774

67.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$11.72 CLP 11.2K

22.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.87 CLP 1,781

121.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.06 CLP 1,965

-21.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.03 CLP 1,939

10.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.24 CLP 2,141

0.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.40 CLP 2,291

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.64 CLP 2,519

-41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.88 CLP 1,792

-37.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.21 CLP 1,154

8.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.76 CLP 4,545

-18.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$4.89 CLP 4,665

186.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.56 CLP 1,493

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.17 CLP 2,072

32.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.90 CLP 861

35.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$34.55 CLP 33.0K

132.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.87 CLP 828

50.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.53 CLP 1,463

43.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$9.48 CLP 9,047

-8.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.36 CLP 1,296

0.74%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$12.5K CLP 12.0M

121.99%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$17.7K CLP 16.9M

101.76%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$140 CLP 133.2K

27.01%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$11.45 CLP 10.9K

21.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$23.22 CLP 22.2K

27.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$48.19 CLP 46.0K

-6.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$46.11 CLP 44.0K

-62.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.79 CLP 4,568

38.83%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$218 CLP 207.8K

273.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,845 CLP 2.7M

222.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$44.53 CLP 42.5K

100.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$18.01 CLP 17.2K

227.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$65.5 CLP 62.5K

110.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$84.3 CLP 80.4K

21.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$400 CLP 382.0K

165.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$332 CLP 316.7K

99.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$733 CLP 699.7K

157.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$522 CLP 498.2K

96.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,064 CLP 2.0M

102.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,696 CLP 1.6M

-1.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$542 CLP 516.8K

25.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.8

127.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Temuco: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $400 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 25% higher in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Temuco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $236 – making Temuco 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 Temuco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 51%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,670 in Temuco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Temuco, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $31.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,113 in Temuco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Temuco, where all-in costs run around $1,113, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Temuco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Temuco – 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 Temuco. 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.