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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,055 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,638 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,221 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than San Pedro de Atacama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and San Pedro de Atacama are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Pedro de Atacama 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.40 CLP 6,912

-16.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$44.02 CLP 41.1K

-25.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.03 CLP 7,495

-8.59%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.74 CLP 2,556

-37.23%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.60 CLP 1,494

-34.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.21 CLP 1,130

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$3.60 CLP 3,360

-53.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.93 CLP 3,667

-19.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.24 CLP 1,157

-15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.51 CLP 1,406

-13.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.64 CLP 1,533

-14.63%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.71 CLP 3,467

-41.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.08 CLP 9,409

-56.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.51 CLP 6,081

-9.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.49 CLP 10.7K

-24.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.88 CLP 1,759

21.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.56 CLP 1,457

-28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.77 CLP 1,655

-13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.69 CLP 1,573

-20.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.66 CLP 1,553

-31.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.49 CLP 1,395

-24.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.28 CLP 1,200

-33.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.20 CLP 1,116

-24.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.12 CLP 4,776

-54.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.93 CLP 4,606

150.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.59 CLP 1,487

-24.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.16 CLP 2,021

15.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.62 CLP 583

35.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.65 CLP 605

118.46%

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

$1.36 CLP 1,269

-27.21%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$17.3K CLP 16.2M

4.01%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.4K CLP 18.1M

37.36%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$131 CLP 122.2K

-38.26%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.57 CLP 12.7K

-26.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$21.88 CLP 20.4K

10.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$39.18 CLP 36.6K

-35.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$22.50 CLP 21.0K

-14.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.55 CLP 5,181

-28.29%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$384 CLP 358.3K

-20.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$47.82 CLP 44.6K

21.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.69 CLP 23.0K

30.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$62.7 CLP 58.5K

60.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$81.8 CLP 76.3K

31.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$478 CLP 446.7K

-0.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$368 CLP 344.0K

2.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$882 CLP 823.1K

-4.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$598 CLP 558.0K

22.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,323 CLP 2.2M

38.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.01

168.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $478 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $230 – making Medellin 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 – San Pedro de Atacama is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,582 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 Medellin, 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 $33.00 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 19% more in San Pedro de Atacama, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in San Pedro de Atacama at $1,055. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Pedro de Atacama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Pedro de Atacama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.