Cost of Living Comparison Between Talcahuano and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Talcahuano and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,057 per month in Talcahuano vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,617 per month in Talcahuano vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,177 per month in Talcahuano vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Talcahuano costs about 2% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Talcahuano and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Talcahuano 21% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.55 CLP 7,605

$5.92 COP 21.4K

44.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.14 CLP 39.2K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

34.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 CLP 7,217

$7.20 COP 26.0K

12.78%

Cappuccino

$2.72 CLP 2,417

$1.70 COP 6,140

60.00%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,154

$1.10 COP 3,966

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 911

$0.72 COP 2,605

41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 CLP 2,916

$1.67 COP 6,022

96.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CLP 3,727

$3.10 COP 11.2K

35.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CLP 1,101

$1.06 COP 3,809

16.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,396

$1.25 COP 4,497

25.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 CLP 1,643

$1.39 COP 5,022

33.09%

Eggs

$3.60 CLP 3,201

$2.26 COP 8,168

59.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 CLP 9,194

$4.33 COP 15.6K

138.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 CLP 5,817

$5.84 COP 21.1K

11.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.11 CLP 9,882

$8.83 COP 31.9K

25.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 CLP 1,622

$2.24 COP 8,099

-18.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 CLP 1,396

$1.08 COP 3,882

45.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,404

$1.53 COP 5,522

3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 CLP 1,280

$1.37 COP 4,950

5.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,092

$1.13 COP 4,078

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,207

$1.12 COP 4,036

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,074

$0.85 COP 3,057

42.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,086

$0.91 COP 3,281

34.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 CLP 4,751

$2.33 COP 8,414

129.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CLP 1,446

$1.19 COP 4,309

36.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CLP 1,959

$2.37 COP 8,553

-7.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 CLP 507

$0.79 COP 2,838

-27.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 417

$1.44 COP 5,184

-67.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,269

$0.94 COP 3,385

52.13%

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

$19.2K CLP 17.1M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

7.34%

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

$21.7K CLP 19.3M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-18.91%

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

$131 CLP 116.6K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

56.21%

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

$13.49 CLP 12.0K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

40.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.78 CLP 19.4K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-9.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.43 CLP 34.2K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

48.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.07 CLP 18.7K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

10.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.71 CLP 5,074

$3.92 COP 14.1K

45.66%

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

$437 CLP 388.3K

$306 COP 1.1M

42.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 CLP 45.6K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-11.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.20 CLP 26.9K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-5.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 CLP 55.5K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-37.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 CLP 73.3K

$107 COP 386.8K

-23.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 CLP 426.5K

$487 COP 1.8M

-1.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 CLP 334.2K

$368 COP 1.3M

2.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 CLP 779.0K

$826 COP 3.0M

6.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 CLP 532.7K

$716 COP 2.6M

-16.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$676 CLP 600.8K

$546 COP 2.0M

23.87%

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 Talcahuano: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $480 in Talcahuano versus $487 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 24% higher in Talcahuano, 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 $44.00 in Talcahuano versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $190 – 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

Talcahuano vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Talcahuano is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,585 per month in Talcahuano and $1,550 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 $44.00 in Talcahuano 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 15% more in Talcahuano, 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 $1,034, than in Talcahuano at $1,057. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Talcahuano 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, Talcahuano makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.