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 $514 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,157 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $2,192 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 62% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 PEN 9.74

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-52.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 PEN 94.3

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-15.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 PEN 23.65

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-1.97%

Cappuccino

$1.88 PEN 6.41

$1.71 COP 6,115

9.94%

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

$0.72 PEN 2.46

$1.10 COP 3,924

-34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 PEN 1.38

$0.78 COP 2,781

-47.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 PEN 7.50

$1.68 COP 5,997

30.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 PEN 13.02

$3.07 COP 11.0K

24.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 PEN 5.04

$1.09 COP 3,906

35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 PEN 7.62

$1.26 COP 4,508

77.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.20

$1.38 COP 4,922

-10.87%

Eggs

$2.31 PEN 7.86

$2.19 COP 7,827

5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.15 PEN 27.73

$4.40 COP 15.7K

85.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 PEN 19.73

$5.63 COP 20.1K

3.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 PEN 26.54

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-12.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 PEN 6.71

$2.34 COP 8,349

-15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.28

$1.06 COP 3,777

-36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.48

$1.50 COP 5,374

-71.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.84

$1.38 COP 4,924

-18.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.27

$1.15 COP 4,111

-41.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PEN 1.75

$1.16 COP 4,155

-56.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 PEN 2.80

$0.89 COP 3,182

-7.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 PEN 2.70

$0.84 COP 2,997

-5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.62 PEN 19.14

$2.28 COP 8,145

146.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 PEN 24.65

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-31.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 PEN 5.72

$1.20 COP 4,284

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PEN 8.31

$2.47 COP 8,824

-1.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 PEN 11.42

$1.47 COP 5,264

128.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 PEN 7.45

$1.96 COP 7,009

11.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.15 PEN 27.74

$7.74 COP 27.6K

5.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$0.95 COP 3,409

43.16%

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

$19.1K PEN 65.1K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

5.51%

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

$24.5K PEN 83.4K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-7.49%

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

$56.0 PEN 190

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-31.96%

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

$12.44 PEN 42.31

$9.50 COP 33.9K

30.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.81 PEN 81.0

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-1.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.06 PEN 24.03

$3.93 COP 14.0K

79.64%

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

$223 PEN 757

$309 COP 1.1M

-28.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,987 PEN 27.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

33.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 PEN 172

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-13.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.65 PEN 125

$32.35 COP 115.5K

13.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 PEN 306

$103 COP 366.4K

-12.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 PEN 309

$108 COP 387.2K

-16.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,312

$838 COP 3.0M

-53.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 PEN 1,591

$512 COP 1.8M

-8.62%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 9% 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. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Cerro de Pasco vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 97%, 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 $770 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,519 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 2% 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 $514, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.