Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Varas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Varas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,142 per month in Puerto Varas vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,714 per month in Puerto Varas vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,285 per month in Puerto Varas vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Puerto Varas costs about 11% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Puerto Varas and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Varas 15% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.99 CLP 12.1K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

110.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.43 CLP 40.4K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

33.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 CLP 7,570

$7.34 COP 23.9K

10.76%

Cappuccino

$3.06 CLP 2,846

$1.72 COP 5,600

77.91%

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

$1.09 CLP 1,011

$1.05 COP 3,420

3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 CLP 838

$0.77 COP 2,515

16.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 CLP 2,920

$1.69 COP 5,488

85.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 CLP 3,940

$3.17 COP 10.3K

33.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 CLP 1,135

$1.05 COP 3,423

16.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 CLP 1,399

$1.30 COP 4,236

15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,718

$1.40 COP 4,544

31.43%

Eggs

$3.43 CLP 3,195

$2.16 COP 7,047

58.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 CLP 9,841

$4.39 COP 14.3K

140.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 CLP 6,234

$5.88 COP 19.1K

13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.01 CLP 10.3K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

27.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,767

$2.28 COP 7,426

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,413

$1.11 COP 3,604

36.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,473

$1.53 COP 4,983

3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,393

$1.35 COP 4,410

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,196

$1.13 COP 3,674

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,316

$1.13 COP 3,692

24.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 CLP 1,167

$0.85 COP 2,753

47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,092

$0.91 COP 2,975

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.50 CLP 5,124

$2.34 COP 7,630

135.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.04 CLP 5,625

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-51.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,442

$1.20 COP 3,909

29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,078

$2.49 COP 8,104

-10.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 549

$0.84 COP 2,728

-29.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 479

$1.42 COP 4,623

-64.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,279

$0.99 COP 3,223

38.38%

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

$19.6K CLP 18.2M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

8.49%

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

$21.4K CLP 19.9M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-19.65%

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

$131 CLP 122.2K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

62.39%

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

$13.45 CLP 12.5K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

35.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.67 CLP 20.2K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-10.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.35 CLP 35.7K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

52.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 CLP 19.4K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

8.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 CLP 5,159

$3.98 COP 13.0K

39.20%

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

$439 CLP 409.1K

$305 COP 993.5K

43.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 CLP 47.2K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-12.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.80 CLP 28.7K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-4.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.2 CLP 57.0K

$101 COP 327.9K

-39.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 CLP 76.4K

$108 COP 350.8K

-23.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 CLP 438.9K

$477 COP 1.6M

-1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 344.8K

$376 COP 1.2M

-1.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 CLP 825.3K

$845 COP 2.7M

4.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 CLP 554.8K

$730 COP 2.4M

-18.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$561 CLP 522.8K

$617 COP 2.0M

-8.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

13.43

-61.43%

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

Last update for Puerto Varas: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Puerto Varas versus $477 in Medellin. 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 10% higher in Medellin, 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 $43.00 in Puerto Varas versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $193 – 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

Puerto Varas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Puerto Varas is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,713 per month in Puerto Varas and $1,546 in Medellin. 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 $43.00 in Puerto Varas and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Puerto Varas, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Puerto Varas at $1,142. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto Varas 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, Puerto Varas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.