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: $1,045 in Iquique versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,709 in Iquique versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,374 in Iquique versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Iquique is roughly 3% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquique 22% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 CLP 7,113

$5.99 COP 21.4K

33.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.47 CLP 37.7K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

29.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 CLP 6,374

$7.09 COP 25.3K

1.27%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CLP 3,268

$1.71 COP 6,115

115.20%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,156

$1.10 COP 3,924

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 904

$0.78 COP 2,781

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 CLP 3,105

$1.68 COP 5,997

108.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 CLP 3,331

$3.07 COP 11.0K

22.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 CLP 1,029

$1.09 COP 3,906

6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 CLP 1,042

$1.26 COP 4,508

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,219

$1.38 COP 4,922

-0.72%

Eggs

$3.58 CLP 3,174

$2.19 COP 7,827

63.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 CLP 9,400

$4.40 COP 15.7K

140.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 CLP 5,839

$5.63 COP 20.1K

16.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 CLP 9,738

$8.89 COP 31.8K

23.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 CLP 1,619

$2.34 COP 8,349

-22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CLP 2,013

$1.06 COP 3,777

114.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,402

$1.50 COP 5,374

5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 CLP 989

$1.38 COP 4,924

-19.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 CLP 729

$1.15 COP 4,111

-28.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 CLP 557

$1.16 COP 4,155

-45.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 CLP 1,082

$0.89 COP 3,182

37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,054

$0.84 COP 2,997

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 CLP 4,701

$2.28 COP 8,145

132.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.38 CLP 7,437

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-21.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,383

$1.20 COP 4,284

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,038

$2.47 COP 8,824

-6.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 CLP 604

$0.86 COP 3,056

-20.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 454

$1.47 COP 5,264

-65.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,266

$0.95 COP 3,409

50.53%

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

$19.4K CLP 17.2M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

6.86%

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

$21.7K CLP 19.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-18.23%

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

$81.7 CLP 72.5K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-0.71%

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

$13.61 CLP 12.1K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

43.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.34 CLP 19.8K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-7.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 CLP 38.1K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

65.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.01 CLP 18.6K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

10.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 CLP 4,913

$3.93 COP 14.0K

40.97%

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

$440 CLP 390.7K

$309 COP 1.1M

42.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.41 CLP 28.8K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-44.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.37 CLP 21.6K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-24.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.10 CLP 42.7K

$103 COP 366.4K

-53.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.7 CLP 54.8K

$108 COP 387.2K

-43.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 CLP 398.5K

$476 COP 1.7M

-5.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 CLP 344.5K

$379 COP 1.4M

2.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 CLP 656.3K

$838 COP 3.0M

-11.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$839 CLP 744.5K

$724 COP 2.6M

15.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 CLP 1.7M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-31.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,137 CLP 1.9M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

76.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,018 CLP 903.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

99.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

13.43

-44.15%

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

Last update for Iquique: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Iquique and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 99% 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: $42.00 in Iquique vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $188 per month, with Medellin 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,045 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Iquique pays 99% 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: $449 in Iquique versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Iquique. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,045 per month in Iquique versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,045 in Iquique, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Iquique. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Iquique. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.