Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Villarrica Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Villarrica

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $970 in Villarrica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,230 in Villarrica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,491 in Villarrica, rent included.

Medellin costs about 69% more than Villarrica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Villarrica is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$7.24 ₲42.8K

11.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$20.44 ₲120.7K

136.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.57 ₲38.8K

43.38%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.36 ₲19.8K

-12.50%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.06 ₲6,277

75.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.59 ₲3,454

147.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.42 ₲8,379

126.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.29 ₲7,601

342.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.14 ₲6,753

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.27 ₲7,470

88.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.35 ₲7,984

25.93%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.04 ₲12.1K

41.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$9.13 ₲53.9K

10.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.79 ₲22.4K

163.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.13 ₲59.8K

40.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.95 ₲17.4K

34.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.21 ₲7,117

30.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.18 ₲6,986

82.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.42 ₲14.3K

-4.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.35 ₲7,957

48.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.81 ₲4,787

86.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.86 ₲5,055

39.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.69 ₲4,055

85.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$1.21 ₲7,147

217.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$9.10 ₲53.7K

53.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$0.67 ₲3,927

155.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.72 ₲10.2K

59.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.43 ₲8,415

-8.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.51 ₲8,905

43.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$5.11 ₲30.1K

62.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.16 ₲6,824

17.24%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$17.0K ₲100.2M

61.92%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$34.5K ₲203.5M

5.98%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$29.81 ₲176.0K

465.98%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$17.26 ₲101.9K

-21.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$21.79 ₲128.6K

29.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$32.71 ₲193.1K

39.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$3.47 ₲20.5K

396.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$8.49 ₲50.1K

-21.67%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$41.98 ₲247.8K

1813.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$5,836 ₲34.5M

57.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$63.5 ₲374.9K

37.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$56.4 ₲332.7K

5.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$104 ₲615.5K

33.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$69.2 ₲408.2K

47.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$383 ₲2.3M

70.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$254 ₲1.5M

658.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$204 ₲1.2M

414.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$548 ₲3.2M

19.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.15

7.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Villarrica: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 19% 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 $20.00 in Villarrica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $196 – making Villarrica 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 Villarrica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 69%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,454 in Villarrica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $20.00 in Villarrica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Villarrica, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Villarrica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Villarrica – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Villarrica. 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.