Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pucallpa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pucallpa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $448 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $754 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,061 in Pucallpa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 124% more than Pucallpa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Pucallpa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Pucallpa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.26 PEN 7.68

161.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$10.91 PEN 37.03

202.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.98 PEN 16.89

49.20%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.98 PEN 6.73

-16.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.93 PEN 3.16

18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.29 PEN 1.00

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.72 PEN 5.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.25 PEN 7.62

41.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.01 PEN 3.43

8.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.56 PEN 12.09

-64.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.09 PEN 3.68

26.61%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.72 PEN 5.83

26.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$1.99 PEN 6.74

125.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.78 PEN 12.83

53.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$3.38 PEN 11.47

165.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.27 PEN 7.71

2.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.42 PEN 4.81

-25.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.42 PEN 4.82

7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.49 PEN 8.45

-45.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.96 PEN 3.25

17.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.90 PEN 6.45

-38.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.77 PEN 2.61

16.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.96 PEN 3.24

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.32 PEN 14.66

-48.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.74 PEN 26.29

56.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.17 PEN 7.36

-45.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.41 PEN 11.58

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.09 PEN 3.70

-22.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.35 PEN 4.59

5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.52 PEN 1.77

275.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.16 PEN 3.95

-14.66%

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

$49.39 PEN 168

68.07%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$15.11 PEN 51.3

-35.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$41.42 PEN 141

-43.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$49.77 PEN 169

20.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$33.26 PEN 113

-4.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$33.57 PEN 114

202.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$62.7 PEN 213

71.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$109 PEN 371

334.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$226 PEN 769

275.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$118 PEN 402

508.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$419 PEN 1,422

49.08%

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 Pucallpa: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $109 in Pucallpa. 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 49% 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 Pucallpa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $184 – making Pucallpa 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 Pucallpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 124%, 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 $672 in Pucallpa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $11.00 in Pucallpa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pucallpa, where all-in costs run around $448, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Pucallpa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pucallpa – 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 Pucallpa. 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.