Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pisco Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pisco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $530 in Pisco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $822 in Pisco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,114 in Pisco, rent included.

Medellin costs about 91% more than Pisco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Pisco are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Pisco 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.16 PEN 7.33

177.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$11.16 PEN 37.98

194.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.31 PEN 11.27

114.20%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.40 PEN 4.76

22.14%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.66 PEN 2.24

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.27 PEN 0.91

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.93 PEN 6.57

-12.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.94 PEN 13.42

-22.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.48 PEN 5.04

-26.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.63 PEN 8.94

-52.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.34 PEN 4.56

2.99%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.97 PEN 10.11

-26.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.76 PEN 26.39

-43.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.77 PEN 19.64

-2.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$10.66 PEN 36.27

-16.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.05 PEN 6.98

14.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.11 PEN 3.78

-4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.09 PEN 3.70

37.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.25 PEN 4.27

10.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.04 PEN 3.53

10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.95 PEN 3.24

22.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.82 PEN 2.79

8.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.86 PEN 2.92

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.44 PEN 18.50

-58.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.94 PEN 30.43

19.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.70 PEN 5.79

-29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.04 PEN 10.35

-18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$3.38 PEN 11.50

-56.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$2.21 PEN 7.52

-11.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.38 PEN 28.50

-7.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.35 PEN 4.59

-29.63%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$19.8K PEN 67.3K

-8.30%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$24.8K PEN 84.4K

6.78%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$57.2 PEN 194

43.87%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$12.41 PEN 42.22

-23.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$23.50 PEN 80.0

3.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.91 PEN 23.50

-43.13%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$215 PEN 731

43.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,083 PEN 27.5K

-26.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$49.79 PEN 169

17.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$35.46 PEN 121

-8.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$88.9 PEN 303

15.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$91.0 PEN 310

19.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,809 PEN 6,154

54.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,335 PEN 4,542

-9.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$583 PEN 1,985

-12.26%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pisco: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 14% higher in Pisco, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Pisco. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $221 in Pisco – 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 Pisco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 91%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $795 in Pisco. 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 $11.00 in Pisco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pisco, where all-in costs run around $530, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Pisco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pisco – 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 Pisco. 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.