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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $528 in Pisco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $830 in Pisco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,132 in Pisco, rent included.

Medellin costs about 95% more than Pisco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.20 PEN 7.46

180.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$11.05 PEN 37.47

195.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.38 PEN 11.47

117.16%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.43 PEN 4.83

20.28%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.68 PEN 2.30

54.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.29 PEN 0.98

165.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.91 PEN 6.47

-11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.83 PEN 13.00

-17.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.47 PEN 4.98

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.69 PEN 9.14

-51.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.30 PEN 4.43

7.69%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.83 PEN 9.61

-23.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.08 PEN 27.41

-45.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.53 PEN 18.75

6.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.64 PEN 36.11

-18.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.03 PEN 6.88

12.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.08 PEN 3.66

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.15 PEN 3.90

33.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.26 PEN 4.26

7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.00 PEN 3.38

13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.00 PEN 3.39

13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.88 PEN 2.98

-3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.92 PEN 3.12

-1.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$5.53 PEN 18.76

-57.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.87 PEN 30.10

39.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.77 PEN 6.02

-32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.99 PEN 10.14

-16.72%

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

$3.41 PEN 11.56

-58.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.13 PEN 7.23

-9.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.17 PEN 27.70

-6.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.30 PEN 4.39

-23.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.6K PEN 66.6K

-8.13%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$24.9K PEN 84.4K

6.97%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$55.9 PEN 190

44.56%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$12.50 PEN 42.42

-20.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$23.30 PEN 79.0

3.78%

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

$7.03 PEN 23.86

-43.39%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$220 PEN 748

38.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,928 PEN 26.9K

-23.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$49.98 PEN 170

16.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$36.79 PEN 125

-12.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$89.8 PEN 305

12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$88.4 PEN 300

21.86%

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

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,787 PEN 6,061

79.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,327 PEN 4,502

3.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$577 PEN 1,957

6.92%

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 Pisco: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 7% 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 $11.00 in Pisco. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $222 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 95%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $792 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 15% 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 $528, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.