Cost of Living Comparison Between Temuco and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Temuco and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,200 per month in Temuco vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,768 per month in Temuco vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,335 per month in Temuco vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Temuco costs about 16% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Temuco and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Temuco 10% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.99 CLP 6,215

$5.92 COP 21.4K

18.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 CLP 28.6K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-1.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 CLP 6,886

$7.20 COP 26.0K

7.50%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CLP 3,445

$1.70 COP 6,140

127.65%

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

$2.32 CLP 2,067

$1.10 COP 3,966

110.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 CLP 1,136

$0.72 COP 2,605

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 CLP 3,285

$1.67 COP 6,022

120.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 CLP 3,088

$3.10 COP 11.2K

11.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,046

$1.06 COP 3,809

11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 CLP 1,307

$1.25 COP 4,497

17.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 CLP 1,162

$1.39 COP 5,022

-5.76%

Eggs

$3.54 CLP 3,149

$2.26 COP 8,168

56.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 CLP 8,561

$4.33 COP 15.6K

122.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 CLP 5,375

$5.84 COP 21.1K

3.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.01 CLP 10.7K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

36.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,735

$2.24 COP 8,099

-12.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,860

$1.08 COP 3,882

93.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 CLP 1,891

$1.53 COP 5,522

39.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 CLP 1,998

$1.37 COP 4,950

64.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CLP 2,199

$1.13 COP 4,078

118.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 CLP 2,311

$1.12 COP 4,036

132.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 CLP 1,717

$0.85 COP 3,057

127.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,056

$0.91 COP 3,281

30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 CLP 4,253

$2.33 COP 8,414

105.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 CLP 4,590

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-53.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CLP 1,401

$1.19 COP 4,309

32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 CLP 1,896

$2.37 COP 8,553

-10.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 CLP 761

$0.79 COP 2,838

8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.54 CLP 30.7K

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-16.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 CLP 744

$1.44 COP 5,184

-41.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CLP 1,381

$1.91 COP 6,901

-18.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 CLP 8,868

$8.02 COP 28.9K

24.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 CLP 1,258

$0.94 COP 3,385

50.00%

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

$13.2K CLP 11.7M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

-26.48%

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

$18.3K CLP 16.3M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-31.52%

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

$217 CLP 192.6K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

157.97%

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

$11.89 CLP 10.6K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

23.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.96 CLP 13.3K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-38.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 CLP 44.2K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

92.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.98 CLP 43.6K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

157.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.83 CLP 4,299

$3.92 COP 14.1K

23.21%

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

$228 CLP 202.8K

$306 COP 1.1M

-25.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,869 CLP 2.6M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-51.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.94 CLP 40.8K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-20.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.48 CLP 16.4K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-41.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.4 CLP 61.7K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-30.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 CLP 78.5K

$107 COP 386.8K

-17.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 CLP 375.2K

$487 COP 1.8M

-13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 CLP 304.9K

$368 COP 1.3M

-6.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 CLP 658.0K

$826 COP 3.0M

-10.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 CLP 465.7K

$716 COP 2.6M

-26.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,187 CLP 1.9M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-25.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,837 CLP 1.6M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

30.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$585 CLP 520.0K

$546 COP 2.0M

7.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

13.43

-64.26%

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

Last update for Temuco: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Temuco 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 7% higher in Temuco, 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 $32.00 in Temuco versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Temuco vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Temuco vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Temuco is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,800 per month in Temuco 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 $32.00 in Temuco and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,200 in Temuco and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Temuco at $1,200. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Temuco 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, Temuco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.