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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,097 per month in Talcahuano vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,630 per month in Talcahuano vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,163 per month in Talcahuano vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Talcahuano costs about 7% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Talcahuano and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Talcahuano 18% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.56 CLP 7,699

$6.00 COP 20.6K

42.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 CLP 39.4K

$32.84 COP 112.9K

33.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 CLP 7,300

$7.42 COP 25.5K

9.43%

Cappuccino

$2.81 CLP 2,523

$1.65 COP 5,675

70.30%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,171

$1.07 COP 3,673

21.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 CLP 961

$0.76 COP 2,614

40.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 CLP 2,976

$1.72 COP 5,925

92.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 CLP 3,685

$3.20 COP 11.0K

28.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 CLP 1,120

$1.05 COP 3,607

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CLP 1,368

$1.31 COP 4,492

16.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,687

$1.34 COP 4,604

40.30%

Eggs

$3.50 CLP 3,148

$2.19 COP 7,543

59.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.50 CLP 9,447

$4.41 COP 15.2K

138.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 CLP 5,875

$5.69 COP 19.6K

14.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 CLP 10.0K

$8.52 COP 29.3K

30.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,711

$2.34 COP 8,046

-18.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,369

$1.11 COP 3,815

36.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,441

$1.52 COP 5,225

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,346

$1.37 COP 4,694

9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,116

$1.15 COP 3,962

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 CLP 1,253

$1.18 COP 4,055

17.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 CLP 1,094

$0.84 COP 2,893

45.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,065

$0.86 COP 2,940

37.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 CLP 4,806

$2.26 COP 7,776

136.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 CLP 5,746

$11.60 COP 39.9K

-44.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CLP 1,458

$1.20 COP 4,121

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CLP 1,998

$2.48 COP 8,508

-10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 561

$0.79 COP 2,729

-21.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 422

$1.47 COP 5,038

-68.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 CLP 1,271

$1.01 COP 3,474

39.60%

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

$19.9K CLP 17.9M

$17.7K COP 60.7M

12.93%

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

$21.8K CLP 19.6M

$26.5K COP 90.9M

-17.65%

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

$134 CLP 120.3K

$81.1 COP 278.8K

64.94%

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

$13.72 CLP 12.3K

$9.43 COP 32.4K

45.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.97 CLP 19.8K

$23.86 COP 82.0K

-7.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.81 CLP 34.9K

$25.99 COP 89.4K

49.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 CLP 18.9K

$18.71 COP 64.3K

12.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.52 CLP 4,968

$4.09 COP 14.1K

34.96%

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

$435 CLP 391.4K

$315 COP 1.1M

38.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.75 CLP 44.7K

$59.7 COP 205.2K

-16.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.87 CLP 27.8K

$31.97 COP 109.9K

-3.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.2 CLP 55.0K

$101 COP 347.9K

-39.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 CLP 73.3K

$105 COP 361.3K

-22.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 CLP 436.4K

$485 COP 1.7M

-0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 CLP 334.4K

$365 COP 1.3M

1.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$870 CLP 782.6K

$827 COP 2.8M

5.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 CLP 527.4K

$730 COP 2.5M

-19.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$674 CLP 605.8K

$551 COP 1.9M

22.28%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Talcahuano versus $485 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 22% 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: $230 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 7%, 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 $1,646 per month in Talcahuano and $1,542 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 21% 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 $1,028, than in Talcahuano at $1,097. 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.