Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,657 in Iquique versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,251 in Iquique versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Iquique costs roughly 38% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iquique is 23% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.96 CLP 7,408

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-0.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.56 CLP 40.5K

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-9.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 CLP 6,902

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-24.05%

Cappuccino

$3.54 CLP 3,296

$2.91 COP 9,149

21.65%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,213

$1.94 COP 6,110

-32.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 973

$1.52 COP 4,783

-30.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 CLP 3,094

$3.09 COP 9,721

7.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CLP 3,462

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-35.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 CLP 1,091

$1.36 COP 4,287

-13.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CLP 1,134

$2.39 COP 7,505

-48.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,279

$1.70 COP 5,346

-19.41%

Eggs

$3.14 CLP 2,922

$2.87 COP 9,021

9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CLP 9,777

$9.94 COP 31.2K

5.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 CLP 10.0K

$10.78 COP 33.9K

0.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 CLP 2,251

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-40.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CLP 2,089

$1.57 COP 4,940

42.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,524

$2.13 COP 6,682

-23.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 CLP 1,011

$2.21 COP 6,959

-50.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 CLP 715

$2.05 COP 6,435

-62.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 CLP 610

$1.50 COP 4,728

-56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 CLP 1,024

$1.19 COP 3,740

-7.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 CLP 1,314

$1.16 COP 3,640

21.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 CLP 6,901

$3.90 COP 12.2K

90.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 CLP 7,537

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-43.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 CLP 767

$2.83 COP 8,889

-71.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 CLP 680

$1.17 COP 3,672

-37.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 CLP 1,362

$1.30 COP 4,080

12.31%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

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

$92.0 CLP 85.6K

$176 COP 553.4K

-47.77%

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

$15.79 CLP 14.7K

$13.37 COP 42.0K

18.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.70 CLP 23.0K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

-17.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 CLP 49.4K

$44.76 COP 140.7K

18.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 CLP 6,810

$6.20 COP 19.5K

18.06%

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

$271 CLP 252.1K

$793 COP 2.5M

-65.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.86 CLP 29.6K

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-62.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.23 CLP 22.5K

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-58.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 CLP 44.5K

$136 COP 428.4K

-64.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.9 CLP 56.7K

$103 COP 324.1K

-40.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 CLP 417.9K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-57.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 CLP 378.4K

$680 COP 2.1M

-40.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 CLP 660.8K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-64.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 CLP 745.4K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-31.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 CLP 1.7M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-56.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,057 CLP 1.9M

$1,701 COP 5.3M

20.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$972 CLP 904.1K

$665 COP 2.1M

46.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

10.94

-31.44%

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

Last update for Iquique: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Iquique and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Iquique vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $303 per month, with Iquique 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

Iquique vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iquique and Medellin differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($1,063 vs $1,716 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% higher in Iquique, 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: $449 in Iquique versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,063 per month in Iquique versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Iquique the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Iquique gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.