Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Arequipa vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,071 per month in Arequipa vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Arequipa vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Arequipa is about 37% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arequipa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 51% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 13.78

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-33.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.88 PEN 94.5

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-14.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PEN 18.52

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-25.48%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.73

$1.72 COP 5,599

50.00%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.76

$1.05 COP 3,420

-21.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.77 COP 2,515

-51.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.59

$1.69 COP 5,487

32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 PEN 20.70

$3.17 COP 10.3K

92.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.25

$1.05 COP 3,423

47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 PEN 4.29

$1.30 COP 4,236

-2.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.36

$1.40 COP 4,544

-7.86%

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.00

$2.16 COP 7,046

-4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.57 PEN 18.87

$4.39 COP 14.3K

26.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 PEN 17.87

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-10.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 PEN 25.68

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-12.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 4.96

$2.28 COP 7,425

-35.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.99

$1.11 COP 3,603

6.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.14

$1.53 COP 4,982

-20.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.63

$1.35 COP 4,410

-42.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 PEN 2.01

$1.13 COP 3,674

-47.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.97

$1.13 COP 3,692

-48.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.52

$0.85 COP 2,753

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.91 COP 2,975

-20.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 PEN 17.10

$2.34 COP 7,629

115.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 PEN 17.65

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-57.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 PEN 8.39

$1.20 COP 3,909

106.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PEN 7.47

$2.49 COP 8,104

-11.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.84 COP 2,727

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 PEN 7.08

$1.42 COP 4,623

47.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.92

$1.92 COP 6,235

6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.92 PEN 43.79

$7.66 COP 24.9K

68.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 PEN 5.48

$0.99 COP 3,223

63.64%

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

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

3.86%

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

$25.4K PEN 85.9K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-4.79%

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

$39.23 PEN 133

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-51.45%

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

$10.33 PEN 34.99

$9.95 COP 32.4K

3.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.48 PEN 103

$24.18 COP 78.7K

26.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.96 PEN 74.4

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-12.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.17 PEN 27.70

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-57.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 PEN 15.11

$3.98 COP 13.0K

12.06%

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

$59.9 PEN 203

$305 COP 993.4K

-80.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

5.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 PEN 128

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-35.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.29 PEN 75.5

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-30.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.2 PEN 214

$101 COP 327.9K

-37.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 PEN 191

$108 COP 350.8K

-47.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 826

$477 COP 1.6M

-48.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 PEN 533

$376 COP 1.2M

-58.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 PEN 1,851

$845 COP 2.7M

-35.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 PEN 1,322

$730 COP 2.4M

-46.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,023 PEN 6,856

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-37.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 PEN 3,369

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-27.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 PEN 2,198

$617 COP 2.0M

5.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.69%

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

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Arequipa versus $477 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 5% higher in Arequipa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $193 – making Arequipa 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

Arequipa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 58% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $977 per month in Arequipa and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arequipa, 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 $28.00 in Arequipa and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arequipa, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Arequipa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $652 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arequipa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.