Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Piura Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Piura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $732 in Piura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,231 in Piura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,729 in Piura, rent included.

Medellin costs about 130% more than Piura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Piura is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$3.74 PEN 12.62

114.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$25.40 PEN 85.7

88.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.32 PEN 24.70

35.11%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.38 PEN 11.41

-7.40%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.11 PEN 3.75

72.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.72 PEN 2.43

109.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.41 PEN 8.14

29.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.95 PEN 9.97

94.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.50 PEN 5.08

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$2.61 PEN 8.82

-4.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.69 PEN 5.69

4.73%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.94 PEN 9.92

0.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$10.51 PEN 35.45

-4.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$8.41 PEN 28.36

20.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$10.75 PEN 36.25

33.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.42 PEN 4.79

191.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.36 PEN 4.58

18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.46 PEN 4.94

54.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.38 PEN 4.64

63.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.32 PEN 4.46

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.73 PEN 2.46

110.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.88 PEN 2.96

32.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.33 PEN 4.47

-1.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$8.02 PEN 27.06

-51.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$11.47 PEN 38.71

22.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.81 PEN 6.12

-3.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$3.04 PEN 10.27

-5.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.64 PEN 2.15

90.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$20.46 PEN 69.0

293.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.17 PEN 10.69

-58.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$2.43 PEN 8.20

-9.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$7.57 PEN 25.52

15.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.46 PEN 4.93

-6.16%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$22.0K PEN 74.1K

26.71%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$23.8K PEN 80.4K

50.06%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$41.49 PEN 140

327.33%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$9.03 PEN 30.46

53.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$29.26 PEN 98.7

53.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$2.45 PEN 8.26

171.43%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$204 PEN 687

299.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$2,357 PEN 7,952

289.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$45.01 PEN 152

98.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$13.32 PEN 44.94

342.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$59.3 PEN 200

133.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$75.7 PEN 255

34.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$239 PEN 807

344.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$136 PEN 459

387.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$402 PEN 1,357

369.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$411 PEN 1,387

149.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$3,855 PEN 13.0K

8.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$550 PEN 1,856

23.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Piura: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $239 in Piura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 23% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Piura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $256 – making Piura the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Piura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 130%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,098 in Piura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Piura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Piura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $732 in Piura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Piura, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Piura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Piura – 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 Piura. 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.