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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,077 in Calama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,598 in Calama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,119 in Calama.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 4% less than in Calama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Calama 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.95 CLP 7,068

-25.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$33.74 CLP 30.0K

-2.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.75 CLP 6,890

-7.10%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.20 CLP 1,959

-22.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.92 CLP 822

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.95 CLP 847

-24.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.31 CLP 2,948

-49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.06 CLP 3,612

-23.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.19 CLP 1,061

-10.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.55 CLP 1,379

-19.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.96 CLP 1,740

-29.08%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.47 CLP 3,084

-34.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.29 CLP 9,147

-57.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.55 CLP 5,822

-10.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.04 CLP 9,815

-20.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.88 CLP 1,675

19.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.50 CLP 1,334

-28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.52 CLP 1,350

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.50 CLP 1,334

-8.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.28 CLP 1,142

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.35 CLP 1,202

-17.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.21 CLP 1,073

-29.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.23 CLP 1,090

-26.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.53 CLP 4,917

-57.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.51 CLP 4,006

146.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.59 CLP 1,414

-25.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.20 CLP 1,960

7.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.58 CLP 515

36.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.50 CLP 447

188.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.53 CLP 1,363

24.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.53 CLP 1,356

-38.56%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.9K CLP 17.7M

-10.04%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.1K CLP 18.8M

26.95%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$134 CLP 119.2K

-37.36%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$13.69 CLP 12.2K

-29.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.18 CLP 19.7K

8.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$38.16 CLP 33.9K

-32.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.33 CLP 19.0K

-10.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.68 CLP 5,055

-30.99%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$432 CLP 384.4K

-29.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$50.1 CLP 44.5K

15.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$29.74 CLP 26.4K

6.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$61.5 CLP 54.7K

62.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$82.5 CLP 73.3K

29.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$348 CLP 309.4K

39.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$369 CLP 328.0K

-0.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$852 CLP 757.4K

-3.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$590 CLP 524.8K

21.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,543 CLP 1.4M

89.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,368 CLP 1.2M

2.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,213 CLP 1.1M

-55.03%

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 Calama: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $348 in Calama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 122% 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 $34.00 in Calama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $225 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 4% 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 122% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $348 in Calama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Calama. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,077 in Calama – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,077 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 $1,034 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 4% less than in Calama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.