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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,151 per month in Valparaiso vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,674 per month in Valparaiso vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,196 per month in Valparaiso vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Valparaiso costs about 13% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Valparaiso and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Valparaiso 14% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.65 CLP 8,674

$5.95 COP 20.8K

62.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.03 CLP 34.2K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

14.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 CLP 7,681

$7.23 COP 25.2K

18.26%

Cappuccino

$2.78 CLP 2,501

$1.63 COP 5,687

70.55%

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

$1.19 CLP 1,067

$1.09 COP 3,821

9.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 CLP 785

$0.73 COP 2,548

19.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 CLP 2,954

$1.74 COP 6,065

89.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 CLP 3,895

$3.23 COP 11.3K

34.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,103

$1.05 COP 3,662

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,415

$1.29 COP 4,515

21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,900

$1.32 COP 4,617

59.85%

Eggs

$4.07 CLP 3,656

$2.27 COP 7,927

79.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 CLP 9,322

$4.35 COP 15.2K

138.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 CLP 5,969

$5.88 COP 20.5K

12.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 CLP 8,750

$8.61 COP 30.0K

13.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,619

$2.25 COP 7,844

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,397

$1.07 COP 3,733

44.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,428

$1.52 COP 5,322

4.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 CLP 1,328

$1.42 COP 4,964

4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 CLP 1,056

$1.17 COP 4,084

0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,213

$1.17 COP 4,077

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 CLP 1,202

$0.89 COP 3,096

50.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CLP 1,103

$0.90 COP 3,146

36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 CLP 4,011

$2.25 COP 7,837

98.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.53 CLP 4,969

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-49.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CLP 1,311

$1.14 COP 3,977

28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CLP 1,653

$2.38 COP 8,301

-22.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 CLP 511

$0.84 COP 2,916

-32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 CLP 49.2K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

30.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 419

$1.41 COP 4,912

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 CLP 640

$1.90 COP 6,634

-62.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CLP 3,377

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-51.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 CLP 1,267

$1.01 COP 3,509

39.60%

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

$14.9K CLP 13.4M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-15.44%

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

$19.8K CLP 17.8M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-25.37%

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

$134 CLP 120.1K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

59.74%

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

$13.75 CLP 12.4K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

45.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.01 CLP 19.8K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-8.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.74 CLP 20.4K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-10.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.54 CLP 22.1K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

28.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 CLP 4,798

$4.10 COP 14.3K

30.24%

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

$440 CLP 395.9K

$312 COP 1.1M

41.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,751 CLP 7.9M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

46.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.56 CLP 29.3K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-43.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.65 CLP 19.5K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-33.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 CLP 54.9K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-38.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.5 CLP 45.4K

$109 COP 378.8K

-53.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 CLP 445.8K

$482 COP 1.7M

2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 CLP 394.2K

$379 COP 1.3M

15.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 CLP 630.5K

$837 COP 2.9M

-16.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 CLP 521.2K

$723 COP 2.5M

-19.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,703 CLP 1.5M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-40.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,137 CLP 1.0M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-7.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$785 CLP 705.6K

$541 COP 1.9M

45.15%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $496 in Valparaiso versus $482 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 45% 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: $227 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

Valparaiso vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Valparaiso is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,727 per month in Valparaiso and $1,525 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 $1,151 in Valparaiso and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Valparaiso at $1,151. 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.