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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,620 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,183 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

San Pedro de Atacama costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both San Pedro de Atacama and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Pedro de Atacama 21% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.37 CLP 6,542

$5.99 COP 21.4K

23.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 CLP 40.1K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

37.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 CLP 7,013

$7.09 COP 25.3K

11.42%

Cappuccino

$2.82 CLP 2,505

$1.71 COP 6,115

64.91%

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

$1.63 CLP 1,443

$1.10 COP 3,924

48.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,045

$0.78 COP 2,781

51.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 CLP 3,177

$1.68 COP 5,997

113.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 CLP 3,585

$3.07 COP 11.0K

31.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,050

$1.09 COP 3,906

8.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,342

$1.26 COP 4,508

19.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 CLP 1,515

$1.38 COP 4,922

23.91%

Eggs

$3.65 CLP 3,241

$2.19 COP 7,827

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 CLP 8,924

$4.40 COP 15.7K

128.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 CLP 5,962

$5.63 COP 20.1K

19.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.44 CLP 10.2K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

28.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 CLP 1,755

$2.34 COP 8,349

-15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,375

$1.06 COP 3,777

46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 CLP 1,571

$1.50 COP 5,374

18.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 CLP 1,470

$1.38 COP 4,924

20.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,400

$1.15 COP 4,111

37.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,340

$1.16 COP 4,155

30.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,156

$0.89 COP 3,182

46.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CLP 1,095

$0.84 COP 2,997

46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 CLP 4,514

$2.28 COP 8,145

123.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 CLP 4,446

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-52.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CLP 1,390

$1.20 COP 4,284

30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 CLP 1,907

$2.47 COP 8,824

-12.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 551

$0.86 COP 3,056

-27.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 CLP 626

$1.47 COP 5,264

-51.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,222

$0.95 COP 3,409

45.26%

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

$17.9K CLP 15.8M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-1.53%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-27.04%

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

$132 CLP 117.4K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

60.85%

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

$13.72 CLP 12.2K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

44.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.76 CLP 19.3K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-10.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.65 CLP 34.3K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

49.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.19 CLP 20.6K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

22.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.28 CLP 4,682

$3.93 COP 14.0K

34.35%

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

$381 CLP 337.9K

$309 COP 1.1M

23.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.49 CLP 42.1K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-19.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.53 CLP 21.8K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-24.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 CLP 54.1K

$103 COP 366.4K

-40.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 CLP 72.2K

$108 COP 387.2K

-24.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 CLP 426.6K

$476 COP 1.7M

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 328.2K

$379 COP 1.4M

-2.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 CLP 779.2K

$838 COP 3.0M

4.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 CLP 534.4K

$724 COP 2.6M

-16.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,290 CLP 2.0M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-17.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

13.43

-62.70%

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

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $476 in Medellin. 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 $45.00 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $188 – 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

San Pedro de Atacama vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Pedro de Atacama is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,587 per month in San Pedro de Atacama and $1,519 in Medellin. 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 $45.00 in San Pedro de Atacama and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $1,013, than in San Pedro de Atacama at $1,058. 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.