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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,174 per month in Valparaiso vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,690 per month in Valparaiso vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,206 per month in Valparaiso vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Valparaiso costs about 14% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Valparaiso and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Valparaiso 12% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 CLP 8,816

$5.92 COP 21.5K

66.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.00 CLP 33.1K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

12.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 CLP 7,671

$7.20 COP 26.2K

18.89%

Cappuccino

$2.80 CLP 2,504

$1.70 COP 6,186

64.71%

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

$1.19 CLP 1,069

$1.10 COP 3,996

8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 CLP 775

$0.72 COP 2,625

20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 CLP 2,914

$1.67 COP 6,067

94.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 CLP 3,778

$3.10 COP 11.3K

36.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,075

$1.06 COP 3,837

13.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,349

$1.25 COP 4,531

20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 CLP 1,944

$1.39 COP 5,060

56.12%

Eggs

$4.13 CLP 3,699

$2.26 COP 8,229

82.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.50 CLP 9,406

$4.33 COP 15.8K

142.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 CLP 6,143

$5.84 COP 21.2K

17.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 CLP 8,500

$8.83 COP 32.1K

7.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,612

$2.24 COP 8,159

-19.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,459

$1.08 COP 3,911

50.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,471

$1.53 COP 5,563

7.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CLP 1,304

$1.37 COP 4,987

6.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 CLP 1,087

$1.13 COP 4,109

7.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,221

$1.12 COP 4,067

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 CLP 1,193

$0.85 COP 3,080

56.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,056

$0.91 COP 3,305

29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 CLP 4,167

$2.33 COP 8,477

99.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.45 CLP 4,879

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-51.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CLP 1,313

$1.19 COP 4,342

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CLP 1,652

$2.37 COP 8,617

-22.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 CLP 542

$0.79 COP 2,859

-24.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 CLP 48.7K

$41.13 COP 149.6K

32.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 456

$1.44 COP 5,223

-64.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 CLP 664

$1.91 COP 6,952

-61.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 CLP 3,475

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-51.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,282

$0.94 COP 3,410

52.13%

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

$15.1K CLP 13.5M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

-15.95%

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

$20.0K CLP 17.9M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-25.26%

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

$131 CLP 117.2K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

55.82%

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

$13.60 CLP 12.2K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

41.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.76 CLP 19.5K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-9.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.23 CLP 19.9K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-14.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.34 CLP 21.8K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

27.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 CLP 4,850

$3.92 COP 14.2K

38.01%

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

$431 CLP 386.3K

$306 COP 1.1M

40.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,655 CLP 7.8M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

46.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.84 CLP 28.5K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-45.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.66 CLP 19.4K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-31.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 CLP 55.7K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-37.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.5 CLP 45.2K

$107 COP 389.7K

-52.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 CLP 437.2K

$487 COP 1.8M

0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 CLP 384.1K

$368 COP 1.3M

16.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 CLP 631.0K

$826 COP 3.0M

-14.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 CLP 514.8K

$716 COP 2.6M

-19.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,706 CLP 1.5M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-41.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,116 CLP 999.5K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-20.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$808 CLP 724.0K

$546 COP 2.0M

48.18%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $488 in Valparaiso 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 48% 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 $37.00 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 14%, 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 $1,761 per month in Valparaiso 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 $37.00 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 $1,174 in Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso at $1,174. 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.