Cost of Living Comparison Between Valparaiso and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Valparaiso and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,169 per month in Valparaiso vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,696 per month in Valparaiso vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,223 per month in Valparaiso vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Valparaiso costs about 17% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Valparaiso and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Valparaiso 12% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.75 CLP 9,071

$5.91 COP 18.6K

64.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.86 CLP 35.2K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

14.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 CLP 7,674

$7.43 COP 23.4K

11.04%

Cappuccino

$2.90 CLP 2,701

$1.65 COP 5,207

75.76%

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

$1.19 CLP 1,105

$1.10 COP 3,468

8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 CLP 842

$0.78 COP 2,458

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 CLP 3,039

$1.72 COP 5,412

90.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 CLP 4,042

$3.18 COP 10.0K

36.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 CLP 1,092

$1.10 COP 3,474

6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 CLP 1,455

$1.26 COP 3,962

23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,946

$1.38 COP 4,349

51.45%

Eggs

$4.17 CLP 3,878

$2.18 COP 6,858

91.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 CLP 9,674

$4.49 COP 14.1K

131.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 CLP 6,184

$5.79 COP 18.2K

14.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 CLP 9,035

$8.97 COP 28.2K

8.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 CLP 1,641

$2.32 COP 7,308

-24.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,445

$1.06 COP 3,352

46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,472

$1.52 COP 4,774

3.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,303

$1.36 COP 4,270

2.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 CLP 1,092

$1.13 COP 3,552

3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,266

$1.17 COP 3,689

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 CLP 1,218

$0.90 COP 2,838

45.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,111

$0.90 COP 2,823

32.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 CLP 4,356

$2.23 COP 7,034

109.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.22 CLP 4,860

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-56.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CLP 1,368

$1.19 COP 3,743

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CLP 1,701

$2.48 COP 7,815

-26.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 CLP 525

$0.85 COP 2,687

-34.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 CLP 49.5K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

27.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 470

$1.42 COP 4,459

-64.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 CLP 696

$1.95 COP 6,141

-61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 CLP 3,607

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-50.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,277

$0.99 COP 3,118

38.38%

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

$15.0K CLP 13.9M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

-15.05%

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

$20.3K CLP 18.9M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-24.15%

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

$134 CLP 124.8K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

61.53%

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

$13.51 CLP 12.6K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

39.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.81 CLP 20.3K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-7.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.40 CLP 20.8K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-11.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.28 CLP 22.6K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

27.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.38 CLP 5,006

$3.95 COP 12.4K

36.20%

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

$435 CLP 404.9K

$316 COP 994.2K

37.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,602 CLP 8.0M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

43.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.60 CLP 30.3K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-45.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.96 CLP 20.4K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-30.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 CLP 56.4K

$102 COP 320.1K

-40.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 CLP 47.5K

$107 COP 338.3K

-52.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 CLP 454.7K

$475 COP 1.5M

2.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 CLP 407.7K

$374 COP 1.2M

17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 CLP 657.6K

$849 COP 2.7M

-16.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 CLP 524.2K

$719 COP 2.3M

-21.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,604 CLP 1.5M

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-50.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,045 CLP 972.7K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-27.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$783 CLP 728.6K

$624 COP 2.0M

25.40%

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 Valparaiso: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $489 in Valparaiso versus $475 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 25% higher in Valparaiso, 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 $38.00 in Valparaiso versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 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

Valparaiso vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Valparaiso is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,754 per month in Valparaiso and $1,504 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 $38.00 in Valparaiso 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 $1,169 in Valparaiso and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Valparaiso at $1,169. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Valparaiso 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, Valparaiso makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.