Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Valdivia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Valdivia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,061 in Valdivia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,606 in Valdivia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,150 in Valdivia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 55% more than Valdivia, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$6.49 CLP 6,108

23.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$47.88 CLP 45.1K

0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.91 CLP 6,503

36.32%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.12 CLP 2,000

38.68%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.13 CLP 2,005

-12.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.37 CLP 1,286

6.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$3.65 CLP 3,433

-12.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.78 CLP 3,562

51.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.22 CLP 1,150

18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.38 CLP 1,296

73.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.69 CLP 1,588

0.59%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.06 CLP 2,879

-5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$9.51 CLP 8,949

5.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.53 CLP 6,150

52.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$13.45 CLP 12.7K

5.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.30 CLP 2,169

73.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.91 CLP 1,798

-17.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.89 CLP 1,780

13.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.87 CLP 1,759

22.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.44 CLP 2,301

-18.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.62 CLP 1,526

-6.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.56 CLP 1,467

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.21 CLP 1,142

5.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$5.44 CLP 5,121

-29.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$4.78 CLP 4,498

193.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.59 CLP 1,500

7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.12 CLP 1,999

29.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.58 CLP 550

115.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.04 CLP 983

25.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.47 CLP 1,384

-7.48%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$15.6K CLP 14.7M

76.18%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$18.3K CLP 17.2M

99.62%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$95.1 CLP 89.5K

77.34%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$14.29 CLP 13.4K

-5.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$32.63 CLP 30.7K

-13.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$42.16 CLP 39.7K

8.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$24.53 CLP 23.1K

-29.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.78 CLP 4,497

39.12%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$255 CLP 240.4K

214.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$3,226 CLP 3.0M

184.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$53.4 CLP 50.3K

63.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$18.73 CLP 17.6K

216.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$52.7 CLP 49.6K

163.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$81.0 CLP 76.2K

25.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$610 CLP 574.3K

75.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$389 CLP 366.3K

67.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,022 CLP 961.8K

88.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$582 CLP 547.7K

80.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$4,742 CLP 4.5M

-13.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$659 CLP 620.3K

-0.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.5

143.11%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $610 in Valdivia. 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 1% higher in Valdivia, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $48.00 in Valdivia. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $240 in Valdivia – so Valdivia 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 Valdivia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 55%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,592 in Valdivia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Valdivia, 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 $48.00 in Valdivia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Valdivia, where all-in costs run around $1,061, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Valdivia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Valdivia – 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 Valdivia. 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.