Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $699 in Cusco versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Cusco versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,385 in Cusco versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Cusco costs roughly 59% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cusco is 49% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.51 PEN 8.43

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-68.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.88 PEN 70.2

$48.26 COP 152.3K

-56.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 PEN 21.62

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-34.08%

Cappuccino

$2.23 PEN 7.50

$2.91 COP 9,185

-23.37%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.70

$1.94 COP 6,134

-58.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 PEN 1.14

$1.52 COP 4,801

-77.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 PEN 6.81

$3.09 COP 9,759

-34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 PEN 14.56

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-24.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.48

$1.36 COP 4,304

-2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 PEN 7.98

$2.39 COP 7,534

-0.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.42

$1.70 COP 5,366

-22.94%

Eggs

$3.61 PEN 12.12

$2.87 COP 9,056

25.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.77 PEN 16.02

$9.94 COP 31.4K

-52.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 PEN 14.67

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-59.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 PEN 24.60

$14.73 COP 46.5K

-50.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 PEN 8.88

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-35.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.67

$1.57 COP 4,960

-49.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 PEN 4.96

$2.13 COP 6,708

-30.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 2.94

$2.21 COP 6,985

-60.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.56

$2.05 COP 6,460

-48.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.63

$1.50 COP 4,747

-28.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 PEN 1.83

$1.19 COP 3,755

-54.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.38

$1.16 COP 3,654

-38.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 PEN 20.25

$14.44 COP 45.6K

-58.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 PEN 6.62

$1.58 COP 4,997

24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 PEN 14.33

$2.83 COP 8,923

50.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$1.17 COP 3,686

-73.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 245.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 PEN 6.15

$1.28 COP 4,054

42.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 PEN 6.32

$2.09 COP 6,602

-10.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 PEN 9.88

$8.62 COP 27.2K

-65.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 PEN 5.23

$1.30 COP 4,096

20.00%

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

$27.7K COP 87.3M

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

$35.5K COP 112.0M

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

$29.75 PEN 100.0

$176 COP 555.6K

-83.10%

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

$14.73 PEN 49.51

$13.37 COP 42.2K

10.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.70 PEN 150

$29.89 COP 94.3K

49.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.37 PEN 119

$44.76 COP 141.2K

-20.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PEN 14.77

$6.20 COP 19.6K

-29.19%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.00 PEN 131

$85.6 COP 270.1K

-54.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.68 PEN 113

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-42.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 PEN 184

$136 COP 430.1K

-59.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 PEN 252

$103 COP 325.4K

-27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$151 PEN 509

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-85.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 PEN 605

$680 COP 2.1M

-73.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 PEN 1,220

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-81.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 PEN 897

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-77.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

$4,111 COP 13.0M

-3.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,776 PEN 5,967

$1,701 COP 5.4M

4.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 PEN 1,454

$665 COP 2.1M

-34.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Cusco: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $151 in Cusco and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 54% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $21.00 in Cusco vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $303 per month, with Cusco cheaper across the board.

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

Cusco vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cusco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 145% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $151 in Cusco versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cusco – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $699 in Cusco versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cusco but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cusco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cusco is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cusco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.