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: $739 in Cusco versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Cusco versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Cusco versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Cusco costs roughly 28% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 45% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 PEN 9.24

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-55.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.05 PEN 95.1

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-13.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.11

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-23.16%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PEN 6.78

$1.72 COP 5,592

16.28%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.16

$1.05 COP 3,416

17.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 PEN 2.48

$0.77 COP 2,511

-5.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.57

$1.69 COP 5,480

31.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 PEN 14.55

$3.17 COP 10.3K

35.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 PEN 4.90

$1.05 COP 3,418

38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 PEN 9.78

$1.30 COP 4,230

121.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$1.40 COP 4,538

-9.29%

Eggs

$3.80 PEN 12.89

$2.16 COP 7,037

75.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 PEN 15.74

$4.39 COP 14.3K

5.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 PEN 16.33

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-18.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 PEN 22.97

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-21.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 PEN 8.31

$2.28 COP 7,415

7.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.11 COP 3,599

-35.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.49

$1.53 COP 4,976

-13.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$1.35 COP 4,405

-34.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$1.13 COP 3,669

-11.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.34

$1.13 COP 3,687

-12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 PEN 2.19

$0.85 COP 2,749

-23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PEN 2.36

$0.91 COP 2,971

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 PEN 16.08

$2.34 COP 7,619

102.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 PEN 19.76

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-52.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.45

$1.20 COP 3,904

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 PEN 10.71

$2.49 COP 8,094

26.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.84 COP 2,724

-65.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.56

$1.42 COP 4,617

15.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.64

$1.92 COP 6,227

-13.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.46

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-63.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 5.06

$0.99 COP 3,219

50.51%

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

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

6.03%

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

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-17.80%

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

$33.89 PEN 115

$80.8 COP 262.7K

-58.06%

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

$14.14 PEN 47.92

$9.95 COP 32.3K

42.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.07 PEN 105

$24.18 COP 78.6K

28.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.62 PEN 104

$25.08 COP 81.5K

22.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 PEN 16.94

$3.98 COP 13.0K

25.63%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.06 PEN 122

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-37.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.00 PEN 98.3

$32.20 COP 104.7K

-9.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 PEN 210

$101 COP 327.5K

-38.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 PEN 245

$108 COP 350.3K

-32.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 PEN 1,028

$477 COP 1.5M

-36.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 PEN 838

$376 COP 1.2M

-34.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 PEN 1,993

$845 COP 2.7M

-30.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 PEN 1,436

$730 COP 2.4M

-42.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

21.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 PEN 6,096

$1,372 COP 4.5M

31.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 PEN 1,448

$617 COP 2.0M

-30.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-18.09%

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

Last update for Cusco: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $303 in Cusco and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 44% 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: $28.00 in Cusco vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $193 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% 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: $303 in Cusco versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% 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 $28.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $739 in Cusco versus $1,031 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 39% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.