Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iquique Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iquique

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,045 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,709 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,374 in Iquique.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 3% less than in Iquique, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Iquique 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.01 CLP 7,113

-25.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$42.47 CLP 37.7K

-22.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.18 CLP 6,374

-1.25%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.68 CLP 3,268

-53.53%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.30 CLP 1,156

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.02 CLP 904

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.50 CLP 3,105

-52.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.75 CLP 3,331

-18.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.16 CLP 1,029

-6.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.17 CLP 1,042

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.37 CLP 1,219

0.73%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.58 CLP 3,174

-38.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.59 CLP 9,400

-58.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.58 CLP 5,839

-14.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$10.97 CLP 9,738

-18.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.82 CLP 1,619

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.27 CLP 2,013

-53.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.58 CLP 1,402

-5.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.11 CLP 989

24.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.82 CLP 729

40.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.63 CLP 557

84.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.22 CLP 1,082

-27.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.19 CLP 1,054

-29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.30 CLP 4,701

-56.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.38 CLP 7,437

26.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.56 CLP 1,383

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.30 CLP 2,038

7.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.68 CLP 604

26.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.51 CLP 454

188.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.43 CLP 1,266

-33.57%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$19.4K CLP 17.2M

-6.42%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$21.7K CLP 19.2M

22.30%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$81.7 CLP 72.5K

0.71%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.61 CLP 12.1K

-30.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$22.34 CLP 19.8K

8.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$42.96 CLP 38.1K

-39.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$21.01 CLP 18.6K

-9.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.54 CLP 4,913

-29.06%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$440 CLP 390.7K

-29.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$32.41 CLP 28.8K

80.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$24.37 CLP 21.6K

32.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$48.10 CLP 42.7K

113.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$61.7 CLP 54.8K

75.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$449 CLP 398.5K

6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$388 CLP 344.5K

-2.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$740 CLP 656.3K

13.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$839 CLP 744.5K

-13.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,926 CLP 1.7M

44.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,137 CLP 1.9M

-43.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,018 CLP 903.9K

-49.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.5

79.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Iquique: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $449 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 99% 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 $42.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $227 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 Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Iquique differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $1,045 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Iquique earns 99% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $449 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Iquique. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,045 in Iquique – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,045 in Iquique, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Iquique. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Iquique. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.