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: $623 in Calama versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,267 in Calama versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,912 in Calama versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Calama costs roughly 62% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calama is 55% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.43 CLP 6,990

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-7.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.77 CLP 31.8K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-30.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

Cappuccino

$2.12 CLP 1,994

$2.94 COP 9,040

-27.89%

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

$0.92 CLP 869

$1.86 COP 5,735

-50.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 880

$1.46 COP 4,479

-35.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 CLP 3,038

$3.21 COP 9,882

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 CLP 4,987

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-7.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,123

$1.44 COP 4,428

-17.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 CLP 796

$2.40 COP 7,389

-64.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 CLP 2,561

$1.70 COP 5,228

60.00%

Eggs

$5.01 CLP 4,714

$2.89 COP 8,896

73.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 CLP 8,955

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-5.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 CLP 6,187

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-34.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 CLP 7,406

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-44.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 CLP 1,173

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-68.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CLP 1,024

$1.58 COP 4,878

-31.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,525

$2.15 COP 6,624

-24.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 CLP 1,101

$2.30 COP 7,078

-49.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 CLP 934

$2.00 COP 6,169

-50.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 CLP 982

$1.51 COP 4,646

-31.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 CLP 5,024

$3.84 COP 11.8K

39.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 CLP 4,120

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-68.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CLP 1,026

$1.71 COP 5,256

-36.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CLP 1,215

$2.74 COP 8,440

-52.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 CLP 887

$1.25 COP 3,834

-24.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CLP 1,399

$2.17 COP 6,680

-31.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 CLP 1,480

$1.36 COP 4,172

15.44%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

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

$42.85 CLP 40.3K

$169 COP 519.2K

-74.60%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.75 CLP 12.9K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-51.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 CLP 50.0K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

16.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.07 CLP 19.8K

$17.22 COP 53.0K

22.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 CLP 4,588

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-26.77%

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

$320 CLP 301.5K

$803 COP 2.5M

-60.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.10 CLP 35.9K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-56.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.59 CLP 27.9K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-50.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.34 CLP 44.5K

$139 COP 427.5K

-65.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 CLP 60.6K

$102 COP 314.0K

-36.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 CLP 332.5K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-67.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 CLP 101.9K

$653 COP 2.0M

-83.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 CLP 794.3K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-56.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 CLP 601.4K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-39.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,487 CLP 1.4M

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-63.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,299 CLP 1.2M

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-23.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 CLP 1.1M

$655 COP 2.0M

77.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-54.30%

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

Last update for Calama: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Calama and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Calama vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $300 per month, with Calama 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

Calama vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 163% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 78% higher in Calama, 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: $353 in Calama versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $623 per month in Calama versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $623 in Calama versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Calama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Calama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $623 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Calama hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Calama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.