Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Valparaiso Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Valparaiso

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,174 in Valparaiso, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,690 in Valparaiso, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,206 in Valparaiso, rent included.

Medellin is about 12% cheaper than Valparaiso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Valparaiso are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Valparaiso 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.84 CLP 8,753

-39.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$37.00 CLP 32.9K

-11.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.56 CLP 7,615

-15.89%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.80 CLP 2,486

-39.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.19 CLP 1,061

-7.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.87 CLP 770

-17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.25 CLP 2,893

-48.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.22 CLP 3,751

-26.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.20 CLP 1,067

-11.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.51 CLP 1,339

-17.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.17 CLP 1,930

-35.94%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.13 CLP 3,673

-45.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.50 CLP 9,338

-58.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.86 CLP 6,099

-14.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.49 CLP 8,439

-6.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.80 CLP 1,600

24.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.63 CLP 1,449

-33.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.64 CLP 1,461

-6.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.46 CLP 1,295

-6.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.21 CLP 1,079

-6.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.36 CLP 1,212

-17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.33 CLP 1,185

-36.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.18 CLP 1,048

-22.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.65 CLP 4,137

-49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.45 CLP 4,844

104.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.47 CLP 1,303

-19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.84 CLP 1,640

28.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.60 CLP 538

31.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$54.4 CLP 48.4K

-24.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.51 CLP 453

182.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.74 CLP 659

158.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.88 CLP 3,450

106.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.43 CLP 1,273

-34.27%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$15.1K CLP 13.4M

18.98%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.0K CLP 17.8M

33.80%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$131 CLP 116.3K

-35.83%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$13.60 CLP 12.1K

-29.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$21.76 CLP 19.3K

11.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$22.23 CLP 19.8K

16.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$24.34 CLP 21.6K

-21.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.41 CLP 4,815

-27.54%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$431 CLP 383.5K

-28.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,655 CLP 7.7M

-31.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$31.84 CLP 28.3K

81.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$21.66 CLP 19.3K

46.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$62.2 CLP 55.3K

60.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$50.5 CLP 44.9K

112.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$488 CLP 434.0K

-0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$429 CLP 381.3K

-14.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$705 CLP 626.5K

17.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$575 CLP 511.1K

24.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,706 CLP 1.5M

71.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,116 CLP 992.3K

26.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$808 CLP 718.8K

-32.51%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Valparaiso: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $488 in Valparaiso. 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 48% higher in Valparaiso, 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 $37.00 in Valparaiso. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $227 – 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 Valparaiso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Valparaiso is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,761 in Valparaiso. 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 $37.00 in Valparaiso. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,174 in Valparaiso. 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 $1,034, than in Valparaiso at $1,174. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Valparaiso 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, Valparaiso makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.