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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,083 in Arica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,646 in Arica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,209 in Arica, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Arica, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Arica are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Arica 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.53 CLP 7,666

-30.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$45.28 CLP 40.7K

-26.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.84 CLP 7,048

-7.78%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.71 CLP 2,434

-39.85%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.29 CLP 1,162

-15.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.02 CLP 913

-28.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.25 CLP 2,920

-46.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.23 CLP 3,800

-23.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.23 CLP 1,107

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.58 CLP 1,424

-18.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.92 CLP 1,722

-31.25%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.57 CLP 3,204

-36.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.63 CLP 9,549

-59.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.83 CLP 6,141

-13.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.81 CLP 9,719

-20.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.88 CLP 1,689

19.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.52 CLP 1,364

-29.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.52 CLP 1,370

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.51 CLP 1,360

-5.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.28 CLP 1,151

-8.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.36 CLP 1,222

-13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.26 CLP 1,133

-29.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.16 CLP 1,046

-22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.54 CLP 4,976

-59.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.77 CLP 5,188

91.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.61 CLP 1,446

-29.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.22 CLP 1,993

7.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.62 CLP 554

35.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.47 CLP 422

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.42 CLP 1,275

-28.87%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.4K CLP 17.4M

-9.29%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.4K CLP 19.2M

24.09%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$134 CLP 120.8K

-37.73%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$13.48 CLP 12.1K

-29.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$22.38 CLP 20.1K

7.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$39.17 CLP 35.2K

-35.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.04 CLP 18.9K

-9.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.75 CLP 5,167

-28.70%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$444 CLP 398.7K

-29.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$51.6 CLP 46.4K

12.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$30.82 CLP 27.7K

5.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$55.7 CLP 50.1K

78.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$83.7 CLP 75.2K

29.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$490 CLP 440.6K

-1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$369 CLP 331.7K

2.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$895 CLP 804.7K

-6.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$583 CLP 524.3K

23.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$536 CLP 482.0K

0.84%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Arica: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $490 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 1% higher in Medellin, 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 $45.00 in Arica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $230 – 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: $1,017 in Medellin, $1,083 in Arica – roughly 7% apart. Arica costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,625 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 21% 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 $1,017, than in Arica at $1,083. 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 $1,017 in Medellin to $1,083 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.