Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiclayo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiclayo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $751 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,258 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,765 per month in Chiclayo vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Chiclayo is about 26% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiclayo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Chiclayo 44% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.95 PEN 16.85

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-17.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.86 PEN 115

$32.86 COP 117.4K

3.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 PEN 28.27

$7.09 COP 25.3K

17.21%

Cappuccino

$4.08 PEN 13.89

$1.71 COP 6,115

138.60%

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

$0.86 PEN 2.94

$1.10 COP 3,924

-21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 PEN 1.70

$0.78 COP 2,781

-35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 PEN 8.46

$1.68 COP 5,997

48.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 PEN 4.85

$1.09 COP 3,906

31.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.26 COP 4,508

27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 PEN 5.79

$1.38 COP 4,922

23.19%

Eggs

$3.05 PEN 10.39

$2.19 COP 7,827

39.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PEN 20.67

$4.40 COP 15.7K

38.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 PEN 19.96

$5.63 COP 20.1K

4.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 PEN 29.74

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-1.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 PEN 6.49

$2.34 COP 8,349

-18.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 PEN 5.33

$1.06 COP 3,777

48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.71

$1.50 COP 5,374

-27.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 PEN 5.37

$1.38 COP 4,924

14.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.11

$1.15 COP 4,111

-20.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.67

$1.16 COP 4,155

18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 PEN 2.40

$0.89 COP 3,182

-21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.30

$0.84 COP 2,997

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 PEN 14.98

$2.28 COP 8,145

92.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 PEN 49.88

$10.64 COP 38.0K

37.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PEN 4.54

$1.20 COP 4,284

10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 PEN 5.46

$2.47 COP 8,824

-35.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 PEN 1.74

$0.86 COP 3,056

-40.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.32 PEN 93.0

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-34.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 PEN 9.19

$1.47 COP 5,264

83.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 PEN 3.82

$1.96 COP 7,009

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 PEN 16.08

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-38.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 PEN 4.38

$0.95 COP 3,409

35.79%

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

$23.5K PEN 79.9K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

29.54%

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

$22.6K PEN 77.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-14.59%

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

$38.47 PEN 131

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-53.23%

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

$14.88 PEN 50.6

$9.50 COP 33.9K

56.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.07 PEN 119

$24.23 COP 86.5K

44.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.96 PEN 109

$25.89 COP 92.4K

23.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.46 PEN 114

$19.00 COP 67.9K

76.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 PEN 19.32

$3.93 COP 14.0K

44.53%

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

$225 PEN 764

$309 COP 1.1M

-27.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,378 PEN 11.5K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-43.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.75 PEN 152

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-23.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.52 PEN 124

$32.35 COP 115.5K

12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 PEN 280

$103 COP 366.4K

-19.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.36 PEN 134

$108 COP 387.2K

-63.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 PEN 426

$476 COP 1.7M

-73.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 PEN 468

$379 COP 1.4M

-63.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 PEN 1,108

$838 COP 3.0M

-61.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 PEN 1,228

$724 COP 2.6M

-50.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,112 PEN 3,784

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-60.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,109 PEN 3,772

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-8.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$469 PEN 1,594

$512 COP 1.8M

-8.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-25.54%

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

Last update for Chiclayo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $125 in Chiclayo 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.

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 $34.00 in Chiclayo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 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

Chiclayo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $751 in Chiclayo, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 35% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,127 per month in Chiclayo 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 Chiclayo, 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 $34.00 in Chiclayo and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $751 in Chiclayo and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiclayo, where all-in costs run around $751, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Chiclayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $751 in Chiclayo to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chiclayo. 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.