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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $619 in Piura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,023 in Piura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,427 in Piura, rent included.

Medellin costs about 62% more than Piura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Piura are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Piura 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.81 PEN 9.54

110.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$10.89 PEN 36.98

202.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.61 PEN 19.03

32.44%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.28 PEN 11.14

-49.70%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.71 PEN 5.82

-35.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.53 PEN 1.80

47.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.29 PEN 7.76

-24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.73 PEN 9.28

16.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.13 PEN 3.83

-2.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.01 PEN 10.22

-58.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.36 PEN 4.63

1.47%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.04 PEN 6.93

6.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.18 PEN 27.77

-45.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.19 PEN 24.42

-19.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.26 PEN 31.44

-3.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.30 PEN 4.40

78.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.85 PEN 2.88

24.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.79 PEN 2.70

92.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.09 PEN 3.71

24.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.23 PEN 4.16

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.55 PEN 1.86

112.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.53 PEN 1.81

69.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.80 PEN 2.70

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$8.28 PEN 28.13

-73.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$11.24 PEN 38.17

7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.83 PEN 6.20

-34.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.76 PEN 9.38

-10.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.43 PEN 1.47

97.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.72 PEN 5.83

-17.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.60 PEN 5.42

21.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.62 PEN 19.08

40.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.39 PEN 4.72

-28.78%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$38.69 PEN 131

114.55%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$8.21 PEN 27.88

18.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$28.18 PEN 95.7

-10.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.26 PEN 7.66

74.78%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$189 PEN 642

66.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$2,217 PEN 7,525

169.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$40.92 PEN 139

46.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$12.39 PEN 42.06

156.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$56.4 PEN 191

80.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$70.5 PEN 239

52.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$140 PEN 476

238.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$127 PEN 432

194.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$331 PEN 1,125

156.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$385 PEN 1,306

86.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$3,745 PEN 12.7K

-12.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$540 PEN 1,834

15.61%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Piura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $140 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 16% 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 Piura. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $217 in Piura – 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 Piura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 62%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $928 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $11.00 in Piura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% 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 Piura, where all-in costs run around $619, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.