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: $1,026 in Iquique versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,702 in Iquique versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,377 in Iquique versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Monthly costs are close between Iquique and Medellin; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquique 23% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 CLP 7,463

$6.16 COP 20.0K

30.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.94 CLP 40.9K

$32.60 COP 106.0K

34.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 CLP 6,718

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-1.77%

Cappuccino

$3.58 CLP 3,336

$1.72 COP 5,592

108.14%

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

$1.35 CLP 1,258

$1.05 COP 3,416

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 951

$0.77 COP 2,511

32.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 CLP 3,244

$1.69 COP 5,480

105.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 CLP 3,456

$3.17 COP 10.3K

17.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,119

$1.05 COP 3,418

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CLP 1,138

$1.30 COP 4,230

-6.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,313

$1.40 COP 4,538

0.71%

Eggs

$3.47 CLP 3,227

$2.16 COP 7,037

60.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 CLP 9,703

$4.39 COP 14.3K

137.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 CLP 6,196

$5.88 COP 19.1K

13.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 CLP 10.1K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

25.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,759

$2.28 COP 7,415

-17.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 CLP 2,223

$1.11 COP 3,599

115.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,442

$1.53 COP 4,976

1.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 CLP 1,042

$1.35 COP 4,405

-17.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 CLP 767

$1.13 COP 3,669

-27.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 CLP 622

$1.13 COP 3,687

-40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 CLP 1,168

$0.85 COP 2,749

47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,095

$0.91 COP 2,971

29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.45 CLP 5,071

$2.34 COP 7,619

132.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 CLP 7,636

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-33.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,434

$1.20 COP 3,904

28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,138

$2.49 COP 8,094

-7.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 CLP 620

$0.84 COP 2,724

-20.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 435

$1.42 COP 4,617

-66.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,341

$0.99 COP 3,219

45.45%

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

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

9.72%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.8M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-20.13%

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

$81.7 CLP 76.1K

$80.8 COP 262.7K

1.15%

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

$13.37 CLP 12.5K

$9.95 COP 32.3K

34.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.65 CLP 20.2K

$24.18 COP 78.6K

-10.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.71 CLP 39.8K

$25.08 COP 81.5K

70.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.02 CLP 19.6K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

9.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.80 CLP 5,397

$3.98 COP 13.0K

45.73%

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

$440 CLP 409.8K

$305 COP 992.2K

44.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.76 CLP 29.6K

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-45.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.53 CLP 22.8K

$32.20 COP 104.7K

-23.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.65 CLP 45.3K

$101 COP 327.5K

-51.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.4 CLP 57.2K

$108 COP 350.3K

-43.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 CLP 408.0K

$477 COP 1.5M

-8.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 CLP 369.5K

$376 COP 1.2M

5.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 CLP 705.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

-10.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 CLP 784.5K

$730 COP 2.4M

15.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 CLP 1.7M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-43.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,077 CLP 1.9M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

51.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,004 CLP 934.9K

$617 COP 2.0M

62.77%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Iquique and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 63% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $44.00 in Iquique vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $193 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

Average pay runs 63% 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: $438 in Iquique versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $440 in Iquique versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,026 in Iquique versus $1,031 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.

It comes down to priorities – Iquique wins on affordability, Medellin on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.