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 $1,115 per month in Puerto Varas vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,717 per month in Puerto Varas vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,320 per month in Puerto Varas vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Puerto Varas costs about 10% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Puerto Varas and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Varas 17% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.75 CLP 11.3K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

112.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.72 CLP 37.9K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

30.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 CLP 7,097

$7.09 COP 25.3K

12.83%

Cappuccino

$3.13 CLP 2,777

$1.71 COP 6,115

83.04%

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

$1.09 CLP 967

$1.10 COP 3,924

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 CLP 796

$0.78 COP 2,781

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 CLP 2,893

$1.68 COP 5,997

94.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 CLP 3,639

$3.07 COP 11.0K

33.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 CLP 1,087

$1.09 COP 3,906

11.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 CLP 1,400

$1.26 COP 4,508

25.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 CLP 1,639

$1.38 COP 4,922

34.06%

Eggs

$3.60 CLP 3,191

$2.19 COP 7,827

64.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 CLP 9,351

$4.40 COP 15.7K

139.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 CLP 5,959

$5.63 COP 20.1K

19.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 CLP 9,624

$8.89 COP 31.8K

21.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,653

$2.34 COP 8,349

-20.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,331

$1.06 COP 3,777

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,360

$1.50 COP 5,374

2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,328

$1.38 COP 4,924

8.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,096

$1.15 COP 4,111

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,207

$1.16 COP 4,155

17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,078

$0.89 COP 3,182

35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,051

$0.84 COP 2,997

40.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.24 CLP 4,648

$2.28 COP 8,145

129.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.10 CLP 5,414

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-42.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,368

$1.20 COP 4,284

28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 CLP 2,024

$2.47 COP 8,824

-7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 520

$0.86 COP 3,056

-31.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 420

$1.47 COP 5,264

-68.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 CLP 1,256

$0.95 COP 3,409

48.42%

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

$19.5K CLP 17.3M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

7.75%

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

$21.0K CLP 18.7M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-20.57%

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

$130 CLP 115.3K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

57.88%

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

$13.41 CLP 11.9K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

41.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.83 CLP 19.4K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-9.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.69 CLP 34.3K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

49.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 CLP 19.2K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

13.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.83 CLP 5,171

$3.93 COP 14.0K

48.35%

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

$428 CLP 379.7K

$309 COP 1.1M

38.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 CLP 45.0K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-13.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.93 CLP 26.6K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-7.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 CLP 55.8K

$103 COP 366.4K

-38.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 CLP 71.9K

$108 COP 387.2K

-25.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 CLP 419.6K

$476 COP 1.7M

-0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 CLP 331.7K

$379 COP 1.4M

-1.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$897 CLP 796.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

7.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 CLP 533.5K

$724 COP 2.6M

-16.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 CLP 525.4K

$512 COP 1.8M

15.68%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Puerto Varas versus $476 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 16% higher in Puerto Varas, 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 $43.00 in Puerto Varas versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $188 – 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 10%, 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 $1,673 per month in Puerto Varas and $1,519 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 22% 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 $1,013, than in Puerto Varas at $1,115. 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.