Cost of Living Comparison Between Antofagasta and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Antofagasta and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $924 in Antofagasta versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Antofagasta versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,078 in Antofagasta versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Antofagasta costs roughly 46% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Antofagasta is 33% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.43 CLP 6,962

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-7.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.73 CLP 34.4K

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-23.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 CLP 7,186

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-21.49%

Cappuccino

$2.64 CLP 2,472

$2.91 COP 9,167

-9.28%

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

$1.31 CLP 1,228

$1.94 COP 6,122

-32.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 CLP 831

$1.52 COP 4,792

-41.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 CLP 1,526

$3.09 COP 9,740

-47.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 CLP 1,796

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-66.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 CLP 1,067

$1.36 COP 4,296

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 CLP 1,638

$2.39 COP 7,519

-26.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 CLP 1,213

$1.70 COP 5,356

-24.12%

Eggs

$2.94 CLP 2,760

$2.87 COP 9,038

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.79 CLP 9,177

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-1.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 CLP 3,853

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-61.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 CLP 8,273

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-40.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 CLP 1,966

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-48.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 CLP 2,223

$1.57 COP 4,950

50.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 CLP 2,406

$2.13 COP 6,695

20.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 CLP 1,076

$2.21 COP 6,972

-47.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 CLP 889

$2.05 COP 6,447

-53.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 CLP 858

$1.50 COP 4,737

-39.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 CLP 1,112

$1.19 COP 3,747

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 CLP 1,090

$1.16 COP 3,647

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.70 CLP 4,409

$3.90 COP 12.3K

20.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.06 CLP 5,683

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-58.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CLP 1,428

$1.58 COP 4,987

-3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 CLP 1,268

$2.83 COP 8,905

-52.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 590

$1.17 COP 3,679

-46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 CLP 2,551

$1.28 COP 4,045

112.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CLP 1,258

$1.30 COP 4,088

3.08%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

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

$18.4K CLP 17.2M

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-48.21%

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

$47.56 CLP 44.6K

$176 COP 554.5K

-72.99%

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

$10.14 CLP 9,506

$13.37 COP 42.1K

-24.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.38 CLP 12.5K

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-55.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.88 CLP 40.2K

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-4.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.82 CLP 25.1K

$17.06 COP 53.7K

57.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.25 CLP 4,918

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-15.32%

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

$273 CLP 255.8K

$793 COP 2.5M

-65.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,311 CLP 3.1M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-63.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.56 CLP 39.0K

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-51.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.87 CLP 14.9K

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-72.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 CLP 57.4K

$136 COP 429.3K

-55.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 CLP 68.2K

$103 COP 324.7K

-29.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 CLP 430.8K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-56.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 346.8K

$680 COP 2.1M

-45.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 CLP 790.2K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-58.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$686 CLP 643.4K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-41.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$742 CLP 695.1K

$665 COP 2.1M

11.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Antofagasta: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Antofagasta and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antofagasta pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Antofagasta vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $303 per month, with Antofagasta cheaper across the board.

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

Antofagasta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antofagasta wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Antofagasta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Antofagasta, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $460 in Antofagasta versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $273 in Antofagasta versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antofagasta – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $924 in Antofagasta versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Antofagasta but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Antofagasta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Antofagasta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $924 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Antofagasta hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Antofagasta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.