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: $747 in Cusco versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,171 in Cusco versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Cusco versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Cusco costs roughly 26% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 44% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-53.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 PEN 94.3

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-15.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.20

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-20.45%

Cappuccino

$2.02 PEN 6.86

$1.71 COP 6,115

18.13%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$1.10 COP 3,924

11.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.50

$0.78 COP 2,781

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$1.68 COP 5,997

30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 PEN 14.39

$3.07 COP 11.0K

37.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.95

$1.09 COP 3,906

33.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$1.26 COP 4,508

138.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.53

$1.38 COP 4,922

-3.62%

Eggs

$3.87 PEN 13.15

$2.19 COP 7,827

76.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.76 PEN 16.20

$4.40 COP 15.7K

8.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 PEN 16.62

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-13.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 PEN 23.41

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-22.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 PEN 8.06

$2.34 COP 8,349

1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.06 COP 3,777

-32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.32

$1.50 COP 5,374

-15.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$1.38 COP 4,924

-34.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$1.15 COP 4,111

-13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.26

$1.16 COP 4,155

-17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 PEN 2.37

$0.89 COP 3,182

-21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.31

$0.84 COP 2,997

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 PEN 16.42

$2.28 COP 8,145

111.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 PEN 19.93

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-44.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.74

$1.20 COP 4,284

65.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 PEN 10.42

$2.47 COP 8,824

23.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.86 COP 3,056

-68.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 PEN 5.74

$1.47 COP 5,264

14.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.96 COP 7,009

-17.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.49

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-63.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.13

$0.95 COP 3,409

58.95%

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

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

3.64%

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

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-16.52%

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

$33.09 PEN 113

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-59.77%

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

$14.07 PEN 47.86

$9.50 COP 33.9K

48.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 PEN 103

$24.23 COP 86.5K

24.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.93 PEN 105

$25.89 COP 92.4K

19.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.19

$3.93 COP 14.0K

21.12%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.52 PEN 124

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-37.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 PEN 97.4

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-11.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 PEN 210

$103 COP 366.4K

-39.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 PEN 239

$108 COP 387.2K

-35.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 PEN 1,033

$476 COP 1.7M

-36.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 PEN 850

$379 COP 1.4M

-34.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 PEN 1,979

$838 COP 3.0M

-30.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 PEN 1,395

$724 COP 2.6M

-43.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

39.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,754 PEN 5,968

$1,211 COP 4.3M

44.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 PEN 1,471

$512 COP 1.8M

-15.51%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Cusco and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 18% 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. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $188, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 18% less. 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: $304 in Cusco versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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 $747 in Cusco versus $1,013 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 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.