Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $560 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $907 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,254 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 66% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cerro de Pasco sits 59% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.00 PEN 10.05

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-62.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.52 PEN 99.0

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-38.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 PEN 23.70

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-24.95%

Cappuccino

$2.13 PEN 7.15

$2.94 COP 9,040

-27.55%

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

$0.76 PEN 2.56

$1.86 COP 5,735

-59.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 PEN 1.56

$1.46 COP 4,479

-67.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 PEN 8.72

$3.21 COP 9,882

-19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 PEN 15.32

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-19.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.10

$1.44 COP 4,428

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 PEN 7.81

$2.40 COP 7,389

-2.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.50

$1.70 COP 5,228

-21.18%

Eggs

$2.47 PEN 8.28

$2.89 COP 8,896

-14.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.17 PEN 30.74

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-8.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.98 PEN 20.05

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-40.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.10 PEN 27.17

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-42.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 PEN 6.95

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-47.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.58

$1.58 COP 4,878

-51.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.46

$2.15 COP 6,624

-80.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.11

$2.30 COP 7,078

-46.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.40

$2.00 COP 6,169

-64.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PEN 1.71

$1.51 COP 4,646

-66.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 PEN 2.89

$1.20 COP 3,701

-28.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PEN 3.03

$1.28 COP 3,946

-29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 PEN 19.69

$3.84 COP 11.8K

52.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 PEN 25.63

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-45.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 PEN 6.73

$1.71 COP 5,256

17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 PEN 8.84

$2.74 COP 8,440

-3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 PEN 13.80

$1.31 COP 4,016

214.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 PEN 7.14

$2.17 COP 6,680

-1.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.21 PEN 24.17

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-13.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 PEN 5.60

$1.36 COP 4,172

22.79%

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

$22.4K PEN 75.0K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-18.53%

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

$26.5K PEN 89.0K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-27.36%

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

$69.8 PEN 234

$169 COP 519.2K

-58.61%

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

$16.83 PEN 56.4

$13.57 COP 41.8K

24.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.87 PEN 93.4

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-1.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 PEN 25.08

$6.65 COP 20.5K

12.48%

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

$185 PEN 622

$803 COP 2.5M

-76.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K PEN 44.0K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

42.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 PEN 185

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-36.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.26 PEN 118

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-40.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 PEN 292

$139 COP 427.5K

-37.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 PEN 271

$102 COP 314.0K

-20.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,412

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-78.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$476 PEN 1,597

$655 COP 2.0M

-27.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

10.94

-18.28%

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

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 38% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $300 – making Cerro de Pasco 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

Cerro de Pasco vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 193%, 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 $839 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $2,462 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 $30.00 in Cerro de Pasco and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $560, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Cerro de Pasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cerro de Pasco. 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.