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 $529 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $843 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,156 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 49% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cerro de Pasco and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Cerro de Pasco 60% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 PEN 9.25

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-55.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.00 PEN 95.0

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-14.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 PEN 23.79

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-4.50%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PEN 6.72

$1.72 COP 5,600

15.12%

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

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$1.05 COP 3,420

-32.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 PEN 1.48

$0.77 COP 2,515

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.58

$1.69 COP 5,488

31.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PEN 12.90

$3.17 COP 10.3K

19.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 PEN 4.81

$1.05 COP 3,423

35.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 PEN 7.66

$1.30 COP 4,236

73.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PEN 4.09

$1.40 COP 4,544

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.28 PEN 7.73

$2.16 COP 7,047

5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 PEN 27.44

$4.39 COP 14.3K

84.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 PEN 19.39

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-2.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 PEN 26.58

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-9.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 PEN 6.91

$2.28 COP 7,426

-10.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.38

$1.11 COP 3,604

-36.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.36

$1.53 COP 4,983

-73.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.87

$1.35 COP 4,410

-15.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$1.13 COP 3,674

-37.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PEN 1.77

$1.13 COP 3,692

-53.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.01

$0.85 COP 2,753

4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 PEN 2.74

$0.91 COP 2,975

-10.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 PEN 19.34

$2.34 COP 7,630

143.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.35 PEN 24.93

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PEN 5.72

$1.20 COP 3,909

40.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 PEN 8.57

$2.49 COP 8,104

1.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 PEN 11.12

$1.42 COP 4,623

130.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.48

$1.92 COP 6,235

15.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.49 PEN 28.79

$7.66 COP 24.9K

10.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.64

$0.99 COP 3,223

38.38%

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

$19.8K PEN 67.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

9.63%

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

$24.2K PEN 82.1K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-9.11%

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

$56.1 PEN 190

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-30.63%

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

$12.48 PEN 42.33

$9.95 COP 32.4K

25.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.99 PEN 81.4

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 PEN 23.28

$3.98 COP 13.0K

72.36%

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

$214 PEN 728

$305 COP 993.5K

-29.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,047 PEN 27.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

32.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.42 PEN 168

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-14.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.25 PEN 123

$32.20 COP 104.8K

12.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 PEN 301

$101 COP 327.9K

-11.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 PEN 309

$108 COP 350.8K

-15.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 PEN 1,297

$845 COP 2.7M

-54.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 PEN 1,584

$617 COP 2.0M

-24.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

13.43

-24.72%

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

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 32% 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 $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $193 – 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 95%, 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 $794 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,546 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 Cerro de Pasco and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $529, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.