Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Calama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Calama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,071 in Calama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,603 in Calama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,136 in Calama.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 5% less than in Calama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Calama 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.19 CLP 7,362

-27.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$33.14 CLP 29.8K

0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.92 CLP 7,121

-8.71%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.14 CLP 1,920

-23.83%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.94 CLP 846

15.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.95 CLP 854

-23.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.16 CLP 2,839

-44.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.07 CLP 3,659

-20.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.23 CLP 1,109

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.57 CLP 1,409

-17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.94 CLP 1,747

-31.96%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.47 CLP 3,120

-34.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.33 CLP 9,279

-57.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.51 CLP 5,847

-9.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.02 CLP 9,905

-21.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.83 CLP 1,647

22.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.53 CLP 1,371

-30.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.52 CLP 1,370

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.50 CLP 1,345

-5.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.28 CLP 1,149

-8.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.41 CLP 1,269

-17.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.27 CLP 1,137

-29.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.17 CLP 1,050

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.26 CLP 4,727

-57.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.06 CLP 5,445

82.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.56 CLP 1,403

-26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.32 CLP 2,089

2.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.59 CLP 529

42.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.51 CLP 459

176.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.48 CLP 1,327

28.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.58 CLP 1,424

-36.08%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

-8.88%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.1K CLP 19.0M

25.59%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$134 CLP 120.1K

-37.39%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$13.39 CLP 12.0K

-29.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$22.23 CLP 20.0K

8.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$38.84 CLP 34.9K

-34.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.27 CLP 19.1K

-10.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.57 CLP 5,010

-26.39%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$431 CLP 387.5K

-27.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$50.0 CLP 45.0K

16.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$29.88 CLP 26.9K

8.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$61.3 CLP 55.1K

62.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$83.1 CLP 74.7K

30.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$356 CLP 320.1K

35.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$376 CLP 338.2K

0.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$847 CLP 761.6K

-1.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$599 CLP 537.9K

20.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,473 CLP 1.3M

92.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,322 CLP 1.2M

-7.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,175 CLP 1.1M

-53.98%

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 Calama: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $356 in Calama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 117% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $33.00 in Calama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $228 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

Medellin vs Calama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Calama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Calama earns 117% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $356 in Calama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Calama. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,071 in Calama – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,071 in Calama, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Calama. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,017 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Calama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.