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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $739 in Cusco.

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

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

Living in Medellin is roughly 39% more expensive than in Cusco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$2.73 PEN 9.24

125.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$28.05 PEN 95.1

16.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.64 PEN 19.11

30.14%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$2.00 PEN 6.78

-14.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$1.23 PEN 4.16

-14.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$0.73 PEN 2.48

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$2.23 PEN 7.57

-24.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.29 PEN 14.55

-26.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$1.45 PEN 4.90

-27.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$2.88 PEN 9.78

-54.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$1.27 PEN 4.31

10.24%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$3.80 PEN 12.89

-43.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.64 PEN 15.74

-5.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.82 PEN 16.33

21.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.78 PEN 22.97

27.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$2.45 PEN 8.31

-6.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$0.72 PEN 2.45

54.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$1.32 PEN 4.49

15.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$0.88 PEN 3.00

53.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$1.00 PEN 3.38

13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$0.99 PEN 3.34

14.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$0.65 PEN 2.19

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$0.70 PEN 2.36

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$4.75 PEN 16.08

-50.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$5.83 PEN 19.76

112.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$1.90 PEN 6.45

-36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$3.16 PEN 10.71

-21.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$0.29 PEN 0.99

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$1.64 PEN 5.56

-13.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$1.66 PEN 5.64

15.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.79 PEN 9.46

174.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$1.49 PEN 5.06

-33.56%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

-5.69%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

21.66%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$33.89 PEN 115

138.45%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$14.14 PEN 47.92

-29.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$31.07 PEN 105

-22.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$30.62 PEN 104

-18.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.00 PEN 16.94

-20.40%

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)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$36.06 PEN 122

61.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$29.00 PEN 98.3

11.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$61.9 PEN 210

62.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$72.3 PEN 245

49.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$303 PEN 1,028

57.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$247 PEN 838

52.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$588 PEN 1,993

43.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$424 PEN 1,436

72.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

-17.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,798 PEN 6,096

-23.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$427 PEN 1,448

44.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.09%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cusco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $303 in Cusco. 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $28.00 in Cusco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $192 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

Medellin vs Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cusco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 44% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $303 in Cusco. 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.