Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arica Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arica

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,077 in Arica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,647 in Arica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,217 in Arica, rent included.

Medellin is about 4% cheaper than Arica, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Arica are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Arica 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$8.45 CLP 7,568

-29.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$45.24 CLP 40.5K

-27.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$7.86 CLP 7,036

-8.40%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$2.85 CLP 2,557

-40.35%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$1.31 CLP 1,171

-16.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$1.06 CLP 947

-32.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$3.27 CLP 2,929

-48.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$4.20 CLP 3,762

-26.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.22 CLP 1,097

-13.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$1.56 CLP 1,399

-19.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$1.88 CLP 1,681

-26.06%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$3.44 CLP 3,082

-34.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$10.39 CLP 9,309

-58.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$6.64 CLP 5,951

-12.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$10.76 CLP 9,641

-17.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$1.82 CLP 1,627

23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.50 CLP 1,347

-28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$1.54 CLP 1,376

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$1.52 CLP 1,364

-9.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$1.23 CLP 1,099

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$1.35 CLP 1,209

-17.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$1.25 CLP 1,124

-32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$1.21 CLP 1,084

-24.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$5.28 CLP 4,729

-55.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$1.60 CLP 1,434

-25.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$2.23 CLP 1,998

6.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.61 CLP 546

29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$0.51 CLP 457

182.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$1.44 CLP 1,289

-34.72%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$19.7K CLP 17.6M

-8.96%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$21.8K CLP 19.5M

22.92%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$134 CLP 119.9K

-37.30%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$13.61 CLP 12.2K

-29.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$22.36 CLP 20.0K

8.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$38.22 CLP 34.2K

-32.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$21.65 CLP 19.4K

-12.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$5.73 CLP 5,133

-31.59%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$430 CLP 385.2K

-28.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$51.2 CLP 45.8K

13.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$30.34 CLP 27.2K

4.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$56.9 CLP 51.0K

75.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$81.5 CLP 73.0K

31.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$487 CLP 436.4K

-0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$369 CLP 330.8K

-0.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$880 CLP 788.0K

-6.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$589 CLP 527.4K

21.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$562 CLP 503.2K

-2.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.18

159.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Arica: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $487 in Arica. 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 3% higher in Arica, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Arica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $216 – making Medellin 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 Arica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $1,077 in Arica – roughly 4% apart. Arica costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,615 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $45.00 in Arica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Arica, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Arica at $1,077. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arica it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,034 in Medellin to $1,077 in Arica. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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