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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $453 per month in Moquegua vs $1,589 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $751 per month in Moquegua vs $2,364 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,050 per month in Moquegua vs $3,139 in Medellin, rent included.

Moquegua is about 71% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Moquegua sits 66% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 PEN 11.93

$8.01 COP 25.8K

-56.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.61 PEN 95.1

$46.55 COP 150.3K

-40.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 PEN 20.03

$9.43 COP 30.5K

-38.28%

Cappuccino

$2.56 PEN 8.82

$2.91 COP 9,398

-12.03%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.82

$1.75 COP 5,657

-53.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.27

$1.32 COP 4,273

-71.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.44

$3.13 COP 10.1K

-30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 PEN 15.05

$5.55 COP 17.9K

-21.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.59

$1.41 COP 4,553

-5.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 PEN 4.73

$2.44 COP 7,878

-43.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 PEN 5.31

$1.63 COP 5,258

-5.52%

Eggs

$2.33 PEN 8.01

$2.82 COP 9,107

-17.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 PEN 21.50

$9.69 COP 31.3K

-35.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 PEN 15.95

$9.32 COP 30.1K

-50.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 PEN 25.38

$13.46 COP 43.4K

-45.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 PEN 6.22

$4.00 COP 12.9K

-54.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.17

$1.48 COP 4,780

-18.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 PEN 4.13

$2.12 COP 6,856

-43.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.63

$2.25 COP 7,271

-53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.38

$1.91 COP 6,171

-63.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.39

$1.62 COP 5,228

-57.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 PEN 1.89

$1.15 COP 3,706

-52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.56

$1.26 COP 4,074

-41.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 PEN 18.19

$3.82 COP 12.3K

38.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 PEN 17.58

$13.11 COP 42.3K

-61.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 PEN 9.38

$1.60 COP 5,149

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 PEN 7.75

$2.26 COP 7,282

-0.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,779

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 242.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 PEN 7.06

$1.27 COP 4,108

61.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 PEN 6.97

$2.05 COP 6,616

-1.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.02 PEN 44.83

$8.20 COP 26.5K

58.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.25

$1.27 COP 4,098

19.69%

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

$18.5K PEN 63.8K

$26.8K COP 86.4M

-30.79%

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

$25.2K PEN 86.9K

$34.4K COP 111.1M

-26.62%

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

$23.82 PEN 82.0

$162 COP 523.6K

-85.32%

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

$10.37 PEN 35.73

$13.12 COP 42.4K

-20.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.27 PEN 80.2

$28.09 COP 90.7K

-17.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 PEN 25.26

$6.09 COP 19.6K

20.36%

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

$74.5 PEN 257

$764 COP 2.5M

-90.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,749 PEN 23.2K

$8,904 COP 28.7M

-24.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.42 PEN 167

$85.0 COP 274.3K

-43.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.56 PEN 91.5

$57.5 COP 185.6K

-53.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 PEN 234

$132 COP 425.3K

-48.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 PEN 201

$95.8 COP 309.1K

-39.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

37.11%

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

Last update for Moquegua: October 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Moquegua versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $288 – 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 251%, 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 $680 per month in Moquegua and $2,384 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 $28.00 in Moquegua and $47.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% 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 $453, than in Medellin at $1,589. 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.