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: $1,716 in Medellin versus $1,063 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $1,657 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $2,251 in Iquique.

Living in Medellin is roughly 61% more expensive than in Iquique, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Iquique is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$7.96 CLP 7,408

0.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$43.56 CLP 40.5K

10.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$7.42 CLP 6,902

31.67%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$3.54 CLP 3,296

-17.80%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$1.30 CLP 1,213

49.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$1.05 CLP 973

44.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$3.33 CLP 3,094

-7.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$3.72 CLP 3,462

54.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.17 CLP 1,091

16.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$1.22 CLP 1,134

95.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.37 CLP 1,279

24.09%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$3.14 CLP 2,922

-8.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$10.51 CLP 9,777

-5.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$10.80 CLP 10.0K

-0.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.42 CLP 2,251

69.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.24 CLP 2,089

-29.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$1.64 CLP 1,524

29.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$1.09 CLP 1,011

102.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.77 CLP 715

166.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.66 CLP 610

127.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.10 CLP 1,024

8.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$1.41 CLP 1,314

-17.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$7.42 CLP 6,901

-47.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$8.10 CLP 7,537

78.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$0.82 CLP 767

245.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.73 CLP 680

60.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.46 CLP 1,362

-10.96%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$92.0 CLP 85.6K

91.44%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$15.79 CLP 14.7K

-15.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$24.70 CLP 23.0K

21.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$53.1 CLP 49.4K

-15.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$7.32 CLP 6,810

-15.30%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$271 CLP 252.1K

192.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$31.86 CLP 29.6K

168.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$24.23 CLP 22.5K

141.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$47.84 CLP 44.5K

184.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$60.9 CLP 56.7K

69.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$449 CLP 417.9K

135.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$407 CLP 378.4K

67.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$710 CLP 660.8K

183.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$801 CLP 745.4K

45.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,787 CLP 1.7M

130.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$2,057 CLP 1.9M

-17.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$972 CLP 904.1K

-31.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.5

45.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Iquique: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $449 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $208 per month, with Iquique 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 61% in total monthly costs ($1,716 vs $1,063 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Iquique. 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: $1,060 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 46% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,716 per month in Medellin versus $1,063 in Iquique – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Iquique 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 Iquique gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.