Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombia and Peru

For one person, living is cheaper in Peru: $878 a month against $1,368 in Colombia, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Colombia
Peru
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,368
/mo nomad
🇵🇪 Peru
$878
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Colombia and in Peru

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Colombia and in Peru actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Colombia vs $878 in Peru, rent included.

  • Colombia $1,368
  • Peru $878

A couple spends around $2,063 per month in Colombia vs $1,380 in Peru, rent included.

  • Colombia $2,063
  • Peru $1,380

A family of three spends $2,759 per month in Colombia vs $1,883 in Peru, rent included.

  • Colombia $2,759
  • Peru $1,883

Cost ranges are similar: Colombia spans $797–$1,639, Peru $20–$1,108. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

The cost of living in Colombia is about 56% higher than in Peru on average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Colombia
Peru
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.21 COP 23.3K
$3.51 PEN 12.16
105.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.60 COP 153.5K
$27.65 PEN 95.8
72.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.26 COP 29.9K
$6.21 PEN 21.51
49.11%
Cappuccino
$2.66 COP 8,570
$3.15 PEN 10.92
-15.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 COP 4,722
$0.96 PEN 3.31
52.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 COP 3,306
$0.51 PEN 1.78
101.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.57 COP 8,276
$2.28 PEN 7.90
12.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 COP 12.4K
$3.56 PEN 12.33
7.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Colombia
Peru
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 COP 5,111
$1.47 PEN 5.09
8.16%
White Bread (500g)
$2.13 COP 6,867
$2.30 PEN 7.97
-7.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.66 COP 5,355
$1.38 PEN 4.77
20.29%
Eggs
$2.97 COP 9,569
$2.63 PEN 9.12
12.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.92 COP 25.5K
$8.28 PEN 28.71
-4.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.96 COP 28.9K
$5.71 PEN 19.79
56.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.41 COP 36.8K
$9.04 PEN 31.34
26.22%
Apples (1kg)
$3.86 COP 12.4K
$1.77 PEN 6.15
118.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 COP 4,519
$1.09 PEN 3.78
28.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.69 COP 5,463
$1.31 PEN 4.53
29.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,329
$1.21 PEN 4.21
61.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 COP 4,817
$0.89 PEN 3.08
67.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.52 COP 4,908
$0.86 PEN 2.97
76.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,657
$0.77 PEN 2.67
46.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 COP 3,507
$0.84 PEN 2.92
29.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 COP 14.2K
$5.63 PEN 19.50
-21.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.17 COP 42.5K
$7.65 PEN 26.53
72.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 COP 4,694
$1.99 PEN 6.91
-26.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 COP 8,102
$3.02 PEN 10.48
-16.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Colombia
Peru
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.14 COP 3,666
$0.61 PEN 2.10
86.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.0 COP 212.9K
$27.39 PEN 94.9
141.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.07 COP 6,668
$2.34 PEN 8.10
-11.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.04 COP 6,594
$2.05 PEN 7.11
-0.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.53 COP 27.5K
$7.01 PEN 24.30
21.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 COP 4,372
$1.64 PEN 5.69
-17.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 110.9M
$22.1K PEN 76.7K
55.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.1K COP 113.2M
$27.6K PEN 95.8K
26.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Colombia
Peru
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 COP 397.1K
$54.9 PEN 190
124.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.79 COP 44.5K
$13.37 PEN 46.33
3.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.31 COP 94.5K
$25.55 PEN 88.6
14.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Colombia
Peru
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.38 COP 110.9K
$31.24 PEN 108
10.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.28 COP 49.3K
$16.62 PEN 57.6
-8.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.44 COP 20.8K
$5.93 PEN 20.56
8.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Colombia
Peru
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$580 COP 1.9M
$207 PEN 719
179.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,439 COP 30.4M
$11.2K PEN 38.7K
-15.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Colombia
Peru
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.1 COP 258.4K
$49.87 PEN 173
60.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.20 COP 158.7K
$30.02 PEN 104
63.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$134 COP 431.2K
$72.2 PEN 250
85.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 COP 334.4K
$71.1 PEN 246
45.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Colombia
Peru
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$731 COP 2.4M
$514 PEN 1,782
42.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$492 COP 1.6M
$279 PEN 967
76.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,451 COP 4.7M
$899 PEN 3,118
61.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$793 COP 2.6M
$536 PEN 1,856
48.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,498 COP 8.1M
$2,247 PEN 7,787
11.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,682 COP 5.4M
$1,310 PEN 4,542
28.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Colombia
Peru
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$613 COP 2.0M
$575 PEN 1,993
6.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.81
9.66
32.61%

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

Last update for Colombia: October 24, 2026

Last update for Peru: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Colombia
$492
Peru
$279 43.3% $213
Groceries & Markets
Colombia
$267
Peru
$210 21.3% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Colombia
$166
Peru
$94 43.6% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Colombia
$165
Peru
$100 39.2% $65
Eating Out
Colombia
$148
Peru
$109 26.4% $39
Getting Around
Colombia
$83
Peru
$42 48.8% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Colombia
$47
Peru
$43 8.8% $4.2

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $702 in Colombia vs $339 in Peru. For reference, capital cities sit at $749 in Bogota and $734 in Lima.

Average salary: $637 in Colombia vs $522 in Peru. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 107% higher in Colombia.

Dining out costs 74% more in Colombia.

Public transport is 148% more expensive in Colombia.

Salaries are 22% higher in Colombia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Peru.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Colombia
🇵🇪 Peru
🕒 Local time
06:52 6:52 AM
06:52 6:52 AM
Same time as Colombia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
52,321,152
33,726,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 3.47 PEN (1 PEN = 0.289 USD). 1 EUR = 3.87 PEN (1 PEN = 0.258 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Colombia Peru 1,890 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Colombia
  • Peru

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Colombia vs Peru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Colombia or Peru?
Peru is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 36% lower on average.
Is rent more expensive in Colombia or in Peru?
Housing costs more in Colombia: a central one-bedroom averages $702 versus $339 in Peru.
How do daily expenses compare in Colombia vs Peru?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Peru – part of why living there is about 36% cheaper overall.
Can you live in both Colombia and Peru on $1,000 per month?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Peru, but in Colombia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Colombia or Peru?
Peru is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Colombia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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