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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $109 in Huánuco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $199 in Huánuco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $289 in Huánuco.

Living in Medellin is roughly 833% more expensive than Huánuco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Huánuco 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.57 PEN 12.13

66.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$17.87 PEN 60.8

86.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.86 PEN 2.92

26.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.58 PEN 1.99

25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.58 PEN 5.37

43.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.33 PEN 7.93

-3.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.54 PEN 1.85

181.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.55 PEN 1.86

112.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.27 PEN 0.91

229.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.55 PEN 1.85

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.56 PEN 1.89

239.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.35 PEN 4.58

-25.19%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$24.99 PEN 85.0

234.85%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$19.75 PEN 67.1

22.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$191 PEN 650

337.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Huánuco: June 8, 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 $29.00 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 833% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $163 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 545% 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 $109 in Huánuco versus $1,017 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 833% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.