Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Moquegua Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Moquegua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $468 in Moquegua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $784 in Moquegua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,099 in Moquegua, rent included.

Medellin costs about 261% more than Moquegua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Moquegua is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$3.69 PEN 12.37

113.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$29.34 PEN 98.4

51.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$6.05 PEN 20.28

53.55%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.47 PEN 8.26

17.41%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.80 PEN 2.68

126.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.42 PEN 1.40

269.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.33 PEN 7.80

39.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$6.03 PEN 20.21

-2.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.37 PEN 4.60

0.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.42 PEN 4.77

72.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.51 PEN 5.06

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.32 PEN 7.78

19.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$6.51 PEN 21.81

39.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.67 PEN 15.66

128.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$7.45 PEN 24.98

96.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.81 PEN 6.07

119.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.27 PEN 4.26

8.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.17 PEN 3.93

96.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.02 PEN 3.43

98.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.68 PEN 2.29

207.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.69 PEN 2.31

136.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.56 PEN 1.88

92.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.76 PEN 2.55

64.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$5.06 PEN 16.98

-20.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$5.31 PEN 17.79

153.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$3.07 PEN 10.28

-47.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.39 PEN 8.00

25.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.11 PEN 7.08

-23.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$2.04 PEN 6.84

4.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$13.04 PEN 43.72

-34.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.55 PEN 5.18

-12.90%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$19.2K PEN 64.5K

47.25%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$26.1K PEN 87.6K

36.53%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$24.11 PEN 80.8

527.87%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$10.20 PEN 34.20

28.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$23.71 PEN 79.5

36.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.26 PEN 24.35

-11.43%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$77.3 PEN 259

979.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$6,825 PEN 22.9K

30.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$49.52 PEN 166

80.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$27.22 PEN 91.3

103.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$69.6 PEN 233

96.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$60.4 PEN 202

81.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

-30.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Moquegua: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Moquegua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $181 – making Moquegua the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Moquegua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 261%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $701 in Moquegua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $29.00 in Moquegua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moquegua, where all-in costs run around $468, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Moquegua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Moquegua – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Moquegua. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.