Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Huánuco Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Huánuco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $125 in Huánuco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $216 in Huánuco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $307 in Huánuco.

Living in Medellin is roughly 727% more expensive than Huánuco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Huánuco 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.42 PEN 12.05

73.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$17.82 PEN 62.7

83.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.79 PEN 2.78

39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.53 PEN 1.88

35.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.54 PEN 5.41

46.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.41 PEN 8.49

-7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.55 PEN 1.93

178.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.58 PEN 2.05

94.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.29 PEN 1.03

193.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.58 PEN 2.04

56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.45 PEN 22.71

72.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.53 PEN 1.86

260.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.35 PEN 4.76

-30.37%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$24.89 PEN 87.6

237.32%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$19.38 PEN 68.2

24.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$198 PEN 697

316.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,377 PEN 4,848

112.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Huánuco: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $18.00 in Huánuco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $43.00 per month, with Huánuco 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 Huánuco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Huánuco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 727% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $187 in Huánuco to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 340% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Huánuco – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $125 in Huánuco versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Huánuco but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Huánuco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Huánuco 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Huánuco are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Huánuco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 727% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.