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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,151 in Valparaiso, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,674 in Valparaiso, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,196 in Valparaiso, rent included.

Medellin is about 12% cheaper than Valparaiso, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Valparaiso are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Valparaiso 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.65 CLP 8,674

-38.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$38.03 CLP 34.2K

-12.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.55 CLP 7,681

-15.44%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.78 CLP 2,501

-41.37%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.19 CLP 1,067

-8.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.87 CLP 785

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.29 CLP 2,954

-47.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.33 CLP 3,895

-25.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.23 CLP 1,103

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.57 CLP 1,415

-17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.11 CLP 1,900

-37.44%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$4.07 CLP 3,656

-44.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.37 CLP 9,322

-58.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.64 CLP 5,969

-11.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.74 CLP 8,750

-11.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.80 CLP 1,619

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.55 CLP 1,397

-30.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.59 CLP 1,428

-4.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.48 CLP 1,328

-4.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.18 CLP 1,056

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.35 CLP 1,213

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.34 CLP 1,202

-33.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.23 CLP 1,103

-26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.46 CLP 4,011

-49.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.53 CLP 4,969

99.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.46 CLP 1,311

-21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.84 CLP 1,653

29.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.57 CLP 511

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$54.7 CLP 49.2K

-23.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.47 CLP 419

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.71 CLP 640

167.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.76 CLP 3,377

106.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.41 CLP 1,267

-28.37%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$14.9K CLP 13.4M

18.26%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$19.8K CLP 17.8M

33.99%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$134 CLP 120.1K

-37.40%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$13.75 CLP 12.4K

-31.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$22.01 CLP 19.8K

9.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.74 CLP 20.4K

11.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$24.54 CLP 22.1K

-22.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.34 CLP 4,798

-23.22%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$440 CLP 395.9K

-29.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,751 CLP 7.9M

-31.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$32.56 CLP 29.3K

78.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$21.65 CLP 19.5K

50.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$61.1 CLP 54.9K

63.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$50.5 CLP 45.4K

114.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$496 CLP 445.8K

-2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$439 CLP 394.2K

-13.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$702 CLP 630.5K

19.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$580 CLP 521.2K

24.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,703 CLP 1.5M

66.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,137 CLP 1.0M

7.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$785 CLP 705.6K

-31.11%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Valparaiso: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $496 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 45% 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 $38.00 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 13%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,727 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 $38.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,151 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 $1,017, than in Valparaiso at $1,151. 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.