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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $612 in Piura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,021 in Piura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,430 in Piura, rent included.

Medellin costs about 68% more than Piura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Piura are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Piura 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$2.70 PEN 9.14

122.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$10.89 PEN 36.84

201.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$5.69 PEN 19.24

30.40%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$3.36 PEN 11.38

-50.89%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$1.65 PEN 5.59

-35.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.53 PEN 1.80

43.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.23 PEN 7.54

-22.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.79 PEN 9.44

14.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.08 PEN 3.65

-2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$2.97 PEN 10.04

-55.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.42 PEN 4.80

-5.63%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.11 PEN 7.12

3.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$7.82 PEN 26.46

-43.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$7.28 PEN 24.63

-21.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$9.70 PEN 32.82

-12.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$1.33 PEN 4.51

75.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$0.80 PEN 2.70

38.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$0.86 PEN 2.92

76.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.13 PEN 3.81

21.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.22 PEN 4.12

-5.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$0.59 PEN 1.98

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$0.53 PEN 1.80

58.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.85 PEN 2.89

1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$8.08 PEN 27.33

-72.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$11.28 PEN 38.14

2.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.82 PEN 6.14

-34.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.70 PEN 9.13

-8.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.40 PEN 1.36

97.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$1.63 PEN 5.52

-9.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$1.65 PEN 5.57

16.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$5.47 PEN 18.51

42.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.44 PEN 4.86

-29.86%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$38.81 PEN 131

108.97%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$8.37 PEN 28.32

12.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$27.41 PEN 92.7

-5.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$2.28 PEN 7.71

79.39%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$188 PEN 635

67.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$2,263 PEN 7,652

166.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$41.63 PEN 141

43.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$12.74 PEN 43.07

150.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$54.6 PEN 185

85.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$69.5 PEN 235

51.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$141 PEN 477

244.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$126 PEN 427

189.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$330 PEN 1,114

150.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$388 PEN 1,313

88.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$3,854 PEN 13.0K

-22.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 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 15, 2026

Last update for Piura: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $141 in Piura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Piura. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $218 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 68%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $919 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 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 Piura, where all-in costs run around $612, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.