Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $652 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,071 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,490 in Arequipa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 58% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Arequipa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.07 PEN 13.78

51.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.88 PEN 94.5

16.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.47 PEN 18.52

34.19%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.58 PEN 8.73

-33.33%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.82 PEN 2.76

28.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.37 PEN 1.25

108.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.24 PEN 7.59

-24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$6.11 PEN 20.70

-48.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.55 PEN 5.25

-32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.27 PEN 4.29

2.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.29 PEN 4.36

8.53%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.07 PEN 7.00

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.57 PEN 18.87

-21.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.27 PEN 17.87

11.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.58 PEN 25.68

13.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.46 PEN 4.96

56.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.18 PEN 3.99

-5.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.22 PEN 4.14

25.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.78 PEN 2.63

73.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.59 PEN 2.01

91.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.58 PEN 1.97

94.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.45 PEN 1.52

88.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.72 PEN 2.44

26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.05 PEN 17.10

-53.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.21 PEN 17.65

137.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.48 PEN 8.39

-51.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.20 PEN 7.47

13.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.27 PEN 0.91

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.09 PEN 7.08

-32.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.04 PEN 6.92

-5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$12.92 PEN 43.79

-40.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.62 PEN 5.48

-38.89%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

-3.72%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.4K PEN 85.9K

5.03%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$39.23 PEN 133

105.99%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.33 PEN 34.99

-3.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$30.48 PEN 103

-20.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$21.96 PEN 74.4

14.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$8.17 PEN 27.70

134.39%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.46 PEN 15.11

-10.76%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$59.9 PEN 203

409.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

-5.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$37.74 PEN 128

54.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$22.29 PEN 75.5

44.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$63.2 PEN 214

59.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$56.5 PEN 191

90.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$244 PEN 826

95.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$157 PEN 533

139.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$546 PEN 1,851

54.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$390 PEN 1,322

87.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,023 PEN 6,856

58.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$994 PEN 3,369

38.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$649 PEN 2,198

-4.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $244 in Arequipa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Arequipa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $171 – making Arequipa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Medellin vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 58% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $977 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arequipa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arequipa, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Arequipa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $652 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arequipa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.