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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $649 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,065 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,482 in Arequipa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$4.13 PEN 14.06

45.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$28.09 PEN 95.5

16.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$5.64 PEN 19.18

25.71%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$2.54 PEN 8.62

-32.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.82 PEN 2.78

34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.37 PEN 1.25

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$2.16 PEN 7.33

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$5.85 PEN 19.90

-47.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-32.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.28 PEN 4.35

-1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.23 PEN 4.19

12.20%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.15 PEN 7.29

1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.52 PEN 18.75

-20.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$5.17 PEN 17.59

8.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$7.76 PEN 26.38

14.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$1.49 PEN 5.07

57.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.17 PEN 3.97

-9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.19 PEN 4.04

26.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$0.77 PEN 2.61

79.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.55 PEN 1.86

109.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.54 PEN 1.84

114.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.45 PEN 1.51

97.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.72 PEN 2.44

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$4.87 PEN 16.56

-53.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.04 PEN 17.12

111.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$2.46 PEN 8.38

-51.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$2.31 PEN 7.87

6.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.29 PEN 0.99

196.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$2.06 PEN 7.02

-28.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$2.06 PEN 7.01

-4.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$12.77 PEN 43.43

-39.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.54 PEN 5.24

-38.31%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

-2.41%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$25.5K PEN 86.6K

3.95%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$39.14 PEN 133

110.14%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$10.57 PEN 35.94

-10.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$31.04 PEN 106

-21.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$21.22 PEN 72.1

22.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$8.34 PEN 28.37

127.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.49 PEN 15.27

-12.47%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$60.0 PEN 204

415.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$6,277 PEN 21.3K

-4.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$37.00 PEN 126

58.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$22.10 PEN 75.1

46.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$62.8 PEN 214

63.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$56.3 PEN 191

92.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$240 PEN 817

98.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$158 PEN 538

139.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$540 PEN 1,836

55.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$386 PEN 1,314

87.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,956 PEN 6,650

42.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$993 PEN 3,377

21.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$650 PEN 2,210

-21.25%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $240 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 27% 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: $188 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 56% 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $974 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 10% 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 $649, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $649 versus $1,013 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.