Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cerro de Pasco Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cerro de Pasco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $529 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $843 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,156 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Medellin costs about 95% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Cerro de Pasco 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.73 PEN 9.25

125.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$28.00 PEN 95.0

16.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.01 PEN 23.79

4.71%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.98 PEN 6.72

-13.13%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.71 PEN 2.42

47.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.44 PEN 1.48

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.23 PEN 7.58

-24.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.80 PEN 12.90

-16.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.42 PEN 4.81

-26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.26 PEN 7.66

-42.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.20 PEN 4.09

16.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.28 PEN 7.73

-5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.09 PEN 27.44

-45.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.72 PEN 19.39

2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.84 PEN 26.58

10.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.04 PEN 6.91

11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.70 PEN 2.38

58.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.40 PEN 1.36

282.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.14 PEN 3.87

18.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.71 PEN 2.42

59.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.52 PEN 1.77

117.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.89 PEN 3.01

-4.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.81 PEN 2.74

12.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$5.70 PEN 19.34

-58.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.35 PEN 24.93

68.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.69 PEN 5.72

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.52 PEN 8.57

-1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.28 PEN 11.12

-56.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.21 PEN 7.48

-13.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.49 PEN 28.79

-9.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.37 PEN 4.64

-27.74%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.8K PEN 67.1K

-8.79%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$24.2K PEN 82.1K

10.02%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$56.1 PEN 190

44.15%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$12.48 PEN 42.33

-20.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$23.99 PEN 81.4

0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.86 PEN 23.28

-41.98%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$214 PEN 728

42.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,047 PEN 27.3K

-24.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$49.42 PEN 168

17.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$36.25 PEN 123

-11.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$88.8 PEN 301

13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$91.1 PEN 309

18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$382 PEN 1,297

120.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$467 PEN 1,584

32.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.11

32.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 32% 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 Medellin versus $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $193 in Cerro de Pasco – 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

Medellin vs Cerro de Pasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $794 in Cerro de Pasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $529, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Cerro de Pasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cerro de Pasco. 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.