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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $726 per month in Arequipa vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,150 per month in Arequipa vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,573 per month in Arequipa vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Arequipa is about 58% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arequipa sits 47% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PEN 12.04

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-55.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.83 PEN 100

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-38.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 PEN 19.63

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-40.12%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PEN 8.75

$2.91 COP 9,095

-10.31%

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

$0.83 PEN 2.79

$1.94 COP 6,074

-57.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 PEN 1.22

$1.52 COP 4,754

-76.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 PEN 7.40

$3.09 COP 9,663

-28.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 PEN 14.56

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-24.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.59

$1.36 COP 4,262

0.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PEN 4.85

$2.39 COP 7,460

-39.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 PEN 5.13

$1.70 COP 5,314

-10.00%

Eggs

$2.36 PEN 7.91

$2.87 COP 8,967

-17.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.46 PEN 21.66

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-35.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 PEN 14.98

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-58.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 PEN 24.95

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-49.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 PEN 6.14

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-55.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.20

$1.57 COP 4,911

-20.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.91

$2.13 COP 6,642

-45.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$2.21 COP 6,917

-53.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$2.05 COP 6,396

-67.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.42

$1.50 COP 4,700

-52.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$1.19 COP 3,718

-52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 PEN 2.57

$1.16 COP 3,619

-33.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 PEN 17.51

$3.90 COP 12.2K

33.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 PEN 17.74

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-63.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 PEN 9.69

$1.58 COP 4,948

82.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PEN 8.04

$2.83 COP 8,836

-15.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.97

$1.17 COP 3,650

-75.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 PEN 7.05

$1.28 COP 4,014

64.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.86

$2.09 COP 6,537

-1.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 PEN 43.08

$8.62 COP 26.9K

49.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.08

$1.30 COP 4,056

16.92%

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

$18.6K PEN 62.3K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-32.86%

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

$26.0K PEN 87.3K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-26.67%

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

$24.42 PEN 81.9

$176 COP 550.1K

-86.13%

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

$10.19 PEN 34.16

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-23.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.41 PEN 78.5

$29.89 COP 93.4K

-21.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.53 PEN 85.6

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-42.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.36 PEN 28.04

$17.06 COP 53.3K

-51.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 PEN 25.16

$6.20 COP 19.4K

20.97%

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

$75.6 PEN 253

$793 COP 2.5M

-90.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,836 PEN 22.9K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-24.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 PEN 166

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-42.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.25 PEN 88.0

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-55.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 PEN 232

$136 COP 425.9K

-49.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 PEN 200

$103 COP 322.2K

-42.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 PEN 1,214

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-65.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 804

$680 COP 2.1M

-64.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 PEN 2,452

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-63.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,412

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-63.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 6,688

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-51.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 PEN 3,406

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-40.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 PEN 2,198

$665 COP 2.1M

-1.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

37.11%

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

Last update for Arequipa: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Arequipa versus $1,060 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 1% higher in Medellin, 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 $30.00 in Arequipa versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $303 – 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 136% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,089 per month in Arequipa and $2,574 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 $30.00 in Arequipa and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% 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 $726, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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 $726 versus $1,716 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.