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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,026 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,702 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,377 in Iquique.

Monthly costs are close between Medellin and Iquique; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.01 CLP 7,463

-23.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$43.94 CLP 40.9K

-25.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.21 CLP 6,718

1.80%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.58 CLP 3,336

-51.96%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.35 CLP 1,258

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.02 CLP 951

-24.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$3.48 CLP 3,244

-51.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.71 CLP 3,456

-14.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.20 CLP 1,119

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.22 CLP 1,138

6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.41 CLP 1,313

-0.71%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$3.47 CLP 3,227

-37.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.42 CLP 9,703

-57.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.65 CLP 6,196

-11.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.81 CLP 10.1K

-20.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.89 CLP 1,759

20.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.39 CLP 2,223

-53.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.55 CLP 1,442

-1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.12 CLP 1,042

20.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.82 CLP 767

37.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.67 CLP 622

68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.25 CLP 1,168

-32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.18 CLP 1,095

-22.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$5.45 CLP 5,071

-57.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.20 CLP 7,636

50.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.54 CLP 1,434

-22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.30 CLP 2,138

8.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.67 CLP 620

25.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.47 CLP 435

202.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.44 CLP 1,341

-31.25%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

-8.86%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.3K CLP 19.8M

25.20%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$81.7 CLP 76.1K

-1.14%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.37 CLP 12.5K

-25.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$21.65 CLP 20.2K

11.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$42.71 CLP 39.8K

-41.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.02 CLP 19.6K

-8.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.80 CLP 5,397

-31.38%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$440 CLP 409.8K

-30.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$31.76 CLP 29.6K

83.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.53 CLP 22.8K

31.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$48.65 CLP 45.3K

107.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$61.4 CLP 57.2K

75.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$438 CLP 408.0K

8.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$397 CLP 369.5K

-5.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$757 CLP 705.4K

11.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$842 CLP 784.5K

-13.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,812 CLP 1.7M

77.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,077 CLP 1.9M

-33.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,004 CLP 934.9K

-38.56%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Iquique: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $438 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 63% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 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 Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 63% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $438 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $440 in Iquique. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,026 in Iquique versus $1,031 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.

It comes down to priorities – Iquique wins on affordability, Medellin on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.