Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Pedro de Atacama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Pedro de Atacama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,055 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,638 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,221 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

Medellin costs about 63% more than San Pedro de Atacama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while San Pedro de Atacama is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$7.26 CLP 6,780

10.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$44.49 CLP 41.5K

8.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$8.00 CLP 7,473

22.12%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.83 CLP 2,645

2.83%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.57 CLP 1,463

23.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$1.17 CLP 1,092

29.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$3.51 CLP 3,280

-11.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.85 CLP 3,592

49.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.23 CLP 1,153

10.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.53 CLP 1,430

56.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.69 CLP 1,579

0.59%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$3.56 CLP 3,323

-19.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$10.17 CLP 9,496

-2.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$6.58 CLP 6,142

63.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$11.54 CLP 10.8K

27.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.89 CLP 1,766

116.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.56 CLP 1,460

0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.79 CLP 1,670

18.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.69 CLP 1,575

30.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.64 CLP 1,529

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.56 CLP 1,459

-3.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.34 CLP 1,255

-11.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$1.24 CLP 1,154

-6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.23 CLP 4,883

-25.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$5.16 CLP 4,819

179.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.55 CLP 1,450

1.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.14 CLP 1,995

32.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.62 CLP 578

88.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.67 CLP 625

91.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.37 CLP 1,278

-5.11%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$17.5K CLP 16.3M

58.09%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$19.3K CLP 18.0M

83.73%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$129 CLP 120.8K

36.07%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$13.28 CLP 12.4K

0.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$22.02 CLP 20.6K

35.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$39.16 CLP 36.6K

14.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$22.92 CLP 21.4K

-25.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$5.31 CLP 4,960

16.76%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$386 CLP 360.7K

105.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$8,559 CLP 8.0M

5.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$47.54 CLP 44.4K

80.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$25.26 CLP 23.6K

131.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$62.1 CLP 58.0K

119.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$83.7 CLP 78.2K

23.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$476 CLP 444.7K

122.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$370 CLP 345.7K

83.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$877 CLP 819.0K

129.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$585 CLP 546.3K

99.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$2,324 CLP 2.2M

76.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.01

118.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $476 in San Pedro de Atacama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $232 – making San Pedro de Atacama 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 San Pedro de Atacama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 63%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,583 in San Pedro de Atacama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Pedro de Atacama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 San Pedro de Atacama, where all-in costs run around $1,055, than in Medellin at $1,716. In San Pedro de Atacama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Pedro de Atacama – 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 San Pedro de Atacama. 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.