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

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

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

San Pedro de Atacama costs about 2% 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 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 CLP 6,894

$6.16 COP 20.1K

20.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.02 CLP 41.0K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

35.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 CLP 7,475

$7.34 COP 23.9K

9.40%

Cappuccino

$2.74 CLP 2,549

$1.72 COP 5,600

59.30%

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

$1.60 CLP 1,491

$1.05 COP 3,420

52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,127

$0.77 COP 2,515

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 CLP 3,351

$1.69 COP 5,488

113.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 CLP 3,657

$3.17 COP 10.3K

23.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CLP 1,154

$1.05 COP 3,423

18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,402

$1.30 COP 4,236

16.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,529

$1.40 COP 4,544

17.14%

Eggs

$3.71 CLP 3,459

$2.16 COP 7,047

71.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 CLP 9,385

$4.39 COP 14.3K

129.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 CLP 6,066

$5.88 COP 19.1K

10.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.49 CLP 10.7K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

32.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,754

$2.28 COP 7,426

-17.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CLP 1,454

$1.11 COP 3,604

40.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 CLP 1,651

$1.53 COP 4,983

15.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,569

$1.35 COP 4,410

25.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 CLP 1,549

$1.13 COP 3,674

46.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,392

$1.13 COP 3,692

31.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,196

$0.85 COP 2,753

50.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CLP 1,113

$0.91 COP 2,975

31.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 CLP 4,763

$2.34 COP 7,630

118.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 CLP 4,594

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-60.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CLP 1,483

$1.20 COP 3,909

32.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 CLP 2,016

$2.49 COP 8,104

-13.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 581

$0.84 COP 2,728

-26.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 CLP 603

$1.42 COP 4,623

-54.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,266

$0.99 COP 3,223

37.37%

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

$17.3K CLP 16.1M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-3.85%

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

$19.4K CLP 18.1M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-27.20%

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

$131 CLP 121.9K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

61.96%

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

$13.57 CLP 12.6K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

36.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.88 CLP 20.4K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-9.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.18 CLP 36.5K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

56.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.50 CLP 21.0K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

17.49%

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 CLP 5,167

$3.98 COP 13.0K

39.45%

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

$384 CLP 357.4K

$305 COP 993.5K

25.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.82 CLP 44.5K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-17.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.69 CLP 23.0K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-23.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 CLP 58.4K

$101 COP 327.9K

-37.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 CLP 76.1K

$108 COP 350.8K

-24.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 CLP 445.5K

$477 COP 1.6M

0.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 CLP 343.1K

$376 COP 1.2M

-2.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 CLP 821.0K

$845 COP 2.7M

4.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 CLP 556.6K

$730 COP 2.4M

-18.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,323 CLP 2.2M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-27.75%

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 %)

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $477 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 $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $193 – 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 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 $1,582 per month in San Pedro de Atacama and $1,546 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 $44.00 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 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.