Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,071 in Calama versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,603 in Calama versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,136 in Calama versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Calama is roughly 5% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calama 20% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 CLP 7,362

$5.95 COP 20.8K

37.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.14 CLP 29.8K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 CLP 7,121

$7.23 COP 25.2K

9.54%

Cappuccino

$2.14 CLP 1,920

$1.63 COP 5,687

31.29%

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

$0.94 CLP 846

$1.09 COP 3,821

-13.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 CLP 854

$0.73 COP 2,548

30.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 CLP 2,839

$1.74 COP 6,065

81.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 CLP 3,659

$3.23 COP 11.3K

26.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,109

$1.05 COP 3,662

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,409

$1.29 COP 4,515

21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,747

$1.32 COP 4,617

46.97%

Eggs

$3.47 CLP 3,120

$2.27 COP 7,927

52.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 CLP 9,279

$4.35 COP 15.2K

137.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 CLP 5,847

$5.88 COP 20.5K

10.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 CLP 9,905

$8.61 COP 30.0K

27.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 CLP 1,647

$2.25 COP 7,844

-18.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,371

$1.07 COP 3,733

42.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,370

$1.52 COP 5,322

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,345

$1.42 COP 4,964

5.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,149

$1.17 COP 4,084

9.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,269

$1.17 COP 4,077

20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,137

$0.89 COP 3,096

42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,050

$0.90 COP 3,146

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.26 CLP 4,727

$2.25 COP 7,837

133.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.06 CLP 5,445

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-45.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,403

$1.14 COP 3,977

36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CLP 2,089

$2.38 COP 8,301

-2.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 529

$0.84 COP 2,916

-29.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 459

$1.41 COP 4,912

-63.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CLP 1,327

$1.90 COP 6,634

-22.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 CLP 1,424

$1.01 COP 3,509

56.44%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

9.74%

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

$21.1K CLP 19.0M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-20.37%

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

$134 CLP 120.1K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

59.73%

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

$13.39 CLP 12.0K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

41.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.23 CLP 20.0K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-7.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.84 CLP 34.9K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

53.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.27 CLP 19.1K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

11.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 CLP 5,010

$4.10 COP 14.3K

35.85%

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

$431 CLP 387.5K

$312 COP 1.1M

38.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 CLP 45.0K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-13.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.88 CLP 26.9K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-8.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 CLP 55.1K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-38.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 CLP 74.7K

$109 COP 378.8K

-23.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 CLP 320.1K

$482 COP 1.7M

-26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 CLP 338.2K

$379 COP 1.3M

-0.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 CLP 761.6K

$837 COP 2.9M

1.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 CLP 537.9K

$723 COP 2.5M

-17.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,473 CLP 1.3M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-48.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,322 CLP 1.2M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

8.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,175 CLP 1.1M

$541 COP 1.9M

117.30%

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 Calama: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $356 in Calama and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 117% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Calama vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Calama vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Calama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Calama pays 117% more on average, 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: $356 in Calama versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Calama. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,071 per month in Calama versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,071 in Calama, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Calama. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,017 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Calama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.