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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $739 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,244 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,748 per month in Chiclayo vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Chiclayo is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiclayo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Chiclayo 45% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 PEN 16.86

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-19.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.94 PEN 112

$32.60 COP 106.1K

1.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 PEN 27.87

$7.34 COP 23.9K

11.99%

Cappuccino

$4.06 PEN 13.78

$1.72 COP 5,600

136.05%

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

$0.79 PEN 2.69

$1.05 COP 3,420

-24.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 PEN 1.70

$0.77 COP 2,515

-35.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 PEN 8.81

$1.69 COP 5,488

53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 PEN 4.83

$1.05 COP 3,423

35.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 PEN 5.55

$1.30 COP 4,236

26.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 PEN 5.75

$1.40 COP 4,544

21.43%

Eggs

$3.03 PEN 10.29

$2.16 COP 7,047

40.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 PEN 20.55

$4.39 COP 14.3K

38.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.90 PEN 20.02

$5.88 COP 19.1K

0.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.49 PEN 28.80

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-1.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 PEN 6.76

$2.28 COP 7,426

-12.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 PEN 5.61

$1.11 COP 3,604

48.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.69

$1.53 COP 4,983

-28.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 PEN 5.32

$1.35 COP 4,410

16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.35

$1.13 COP 3,674

-12.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.82

$1.13 COP 3,692

25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 PEN 2.23

$0.85 COP 2,753

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 PEN 2.28

$0.91 COP 2,975

-26.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 PEN 14.19

$2.34 COP 7,630

78.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 PEN 49.92

$12.37 COP 40.3K

18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 PEN 4.57

$1.20 COP 3,909

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 PEN 5.36

$2.49 COP 8,104

-36.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 PEN 1.64

$0.84 COP 2,728

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 PEN 93.5

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-32.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 PEN 9.20

$1.42 COP 4,623

90.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 PEN 3.69

$1.92 COP 6,235

-43.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 PEN 16.41

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-36.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$0.99 COP 3,223

29.29%

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

$23.5K PEN 79.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

30.51%

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

$22.7K PEN 77.1K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-14.64%

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

$37.97 PEN 129

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-53.01%

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

$15.05 PEN 51.1

$9.95 COP 32.4K

51.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.57 PEN 121

$24.18 COP 78.7K

47.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.57 PEN 110

$25.08 COP 81.7K

29.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.41 PEN 113

$19.15 COP 62.3K

74.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 PEN 18.57

$3.98 COP 13.0K

37.69%

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

$221 PEN 749

$305 COP 993.5K

-27.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,498 PEN 11.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-42.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.80 PEN 149

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-24.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.99 PEN 122

$32.20 COP 104.8K

11.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 PEN 279

$101 COP 327.9K

-18.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.54 PEN 131

$108 COP 350.8K

-64.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 PEN 422

$477 COP 1.6M

-73.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PEN 471

$376 COP 1.2M

-63.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 PEN 1,076

$845 COP 2.7M

-62.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 PEN 1,230

$730 COP 2.4M

-50.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,119 PEN 3,796

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-65.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,088 PEN 3,692

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-20.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 PEN 1,605

$617 COP 2.0M

-23.31%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $125 in Chiclayo 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.

Salaries run about 30% 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 $33.00 in Chiclayo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $211 in Chiclayo vs $193 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

Chiclayo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $739 in Chiclayo, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 39% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,109 per month in Chiclayo 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 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 $33.00 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 $739 in Chiclayo and $1,031 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 $739, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $739 in Chiclayo to $1,031 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.