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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $649 per month in Arequipa vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Arequipa vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Arequipa vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Arequipa is about 36% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arequipa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 PEN 14.06

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-31.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 PEN 95.5

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-14.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.18

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-20.45%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.62

$1.71 COP 6,093

48.54%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$1.10 COP 3,910

-25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.78 COP 2,771

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$1.68 COP 5,976

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 PEN 19.90

$3.07 COP 10.9K

90.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.09 COP 3,892

47.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$1.26 COP 4,492

1.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.38 COP 4,905

-10.87%

Eggs

$2.15 PEN 7.29

$2.19 COP 7,799

-1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 PEN 18.75

$4.40 COP 15.7K

25.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 PEN 17.59

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-8.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.38

$8.89 COP 31.6K

-12.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$2.34 COP 8,319

-36.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.97

$1.06 COP 3,764

10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$1.50 COP 5,355

-20.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.61

$1.38 COP 4,906

-44.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$1.15 COP 4,097

-52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$1.16 COP 4,141

-53.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.51

$0.89 COP 3,170

-49.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.84 COP 2,986

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 PEN 16.56

$2.28 COP 8,116

113.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 PEN 17.12

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 PEN 8.38

$1.20 COP 4,268

105.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PEN 7.87

$2.47 COP 8,793

-6.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.86 COP 3,045

-66.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 7.02

$1.47 COP 5,245

40.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PEN 7.01

$1.96 COP 6,984

5.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 PEN 43.43

$7.74 COP 27.5K

64.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 PEN 5.24

$0.95 COP 3,397

62.11%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

2.47%

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

$25.5K PEN 86.6K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-3.80%

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

$39.14 PEN 133

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-52.41%

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

$10.57 PEN 35.94

$9.50 COP 33.8K

11.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.04 PEN 106

$24.23 COP 86.2K

28.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 PEN 72.1

$25.89 COP 92.1K

-18.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 PEN 28.37

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-56.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 PEN 15.27

$3.93 COP 14.0K

14.25%

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

$60.0 PEN 204

$309 COP 1.1M

-80.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,277 PEN 21.3K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

5.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.00 PEN 126

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-36.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.10 PEN 75.1

$32.35 COP 115.1K

-31.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 PEN 214

$103 COP 365.1K

-38.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 PEN 191

$108 COP 385.8K

-48.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 817

$476 COP 1.7M

-49.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 PEN 538

$379 COP 1.3M

-58.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 PEN 1,836

$838 COP 3.0M

-35.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,314

$724 COP 2.6M

-46.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 PEN 6,650

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-29.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 PEN 3,377

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-18.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 PEN 2,210

$512 COP 1.8M

26.98%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Arequipa versus $476 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 27% 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 $188 – 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 56% 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 $974 per month in Arequipa and $1,519 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 10% 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 $649, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $649 versus $1,013 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.