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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Moquegua is about 72% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.69 PEN 12.37

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-53.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.34 PEN 98.4

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-34.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 PEN 20.28

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-34.88%

Cappuccino

$2.47 PEN 8.26

$2.90 COP 8,874

-14.83%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.68

$1.81 COP 5,541

-55.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 PEN 1.40

$1.55 COP 4,741

-72.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 PEN 7.80

$3.25 COP 9,962

-28.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 PEN 20.21

$5.88 COP 18.0K

2.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.60

$1.38 COP 4,230

-0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 PEN 4.77

$2.45 COP 7,517

-42.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.06

$1.51 COP 4,617

Eggs

$2.32 PEN 7.78

$2.78 COP 8,516

-16.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 PEN 21.81

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-28.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 PEN 15.66

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-56.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 PEN 24.98

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-49.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 PEN 6.07

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-54.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.26

$1.38 COP 4,219

-7.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.93

$2.30 COP 7,056

-49.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$2.02 COP 6,185

-49.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.29

$2.09 COP 6,390

-67.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.31

$1.63 COP 4,996

-57.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.88

$1.08 COP 3,313

-48.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.55

$1.25 COP 3,843

-39.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 PEN 16.98

$4.03 COP 12.4K

25.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 PEN 17.79

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-60.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 PEN 10.28

$1.60 COP 4,904

91.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 PEN 8.00

$3.00 COP 9,189

-20.33%

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)

$2.11 PEN 7.08

$1.61 COP 4,920

31.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.84

$2.13 COP 6,533

-4.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.04 PEN 43.72

$8.52 COP 26.1K

53.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.18

$1.35 COP 4,142

14.81%

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

$19.2K PEN 64.5K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-32.09%

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

$26.1K PEN 87.6K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-26.76%

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

$24.11 PEN 80.8

$151 COP 463.8K

-84.07%

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

$10.20 PEN 34.20

$13.10 COP 40.1K

-22.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.71 PEN 79.5

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-26.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 PEN 24.35

$6.43 COP 19.7K

12.91%

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

$77.3 PEN 259

$835 COP 2.6M

-90.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,825 PEN 22.9K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-23.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.52 PEN 166

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-44.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.22 PEN 91.3

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-50.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 PEN 233

$137 COP 418.5K

-49.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.4 PEN 202

$109 COP 335.1K

-44.80%

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

43.82%

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

Last update for Moquegua: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Moquegua versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $297 – 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

Moquegua vs Medellin: 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 $701 per month in Moquegua and $2,530 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Moquegua and $45.00 in Medellin. 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.