Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pucallpa

For one person, living is cheaper in Pucallpa: $502 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Pucallpa

🇵🇪 Peru

$502

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Pucallpa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Pucallpa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $502 in Pucallpa, rent included.

Medellin $1,692
Pucallpa $502

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $826 in Pucallpa, rent included.

Medellin $2,471
Pucallpa $826

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $1,149 in Pucallpa, rent included.

Medellin $3,249
Pucallpa $1,149

Medellin costs about 237% more than Pucallpa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Pucallpa is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 26.9K

$2.30 PEN 7.92

262.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 150.1K

$11.70 PEN 40.31

297.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.5K

$5.32 PEN 18.34

78.01%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$1.99 PEN 6.87

57.29%

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

$1.77 COP 5,696

$1.03 PEN 3.56

71.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,594

$0.28 PEN 0.95

407.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

$1.78 PEN 6.15

76.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.4K

$2.29 PEN 7.90

148.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,943

$1.05 PEN 3.62

45.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,389

$3.55 PEN 12.24

-35.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,273

$1.13 PEN 3.89

71.68%

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,889

$1.71 PEN 5.89

79.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.2K

$2.06 PEN 7.11

384.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.7K

$3.99 PEN 13.75

161.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.0K

$3.42 PEN 11.78

308.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

$2.27 PEN 7.81

78.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,929

$1.43 PEN 4.94

6.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,786

$1.49 PEN 5.14

40.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,397

$2.60 PEN 8.94

-11.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,803

$2.93 PEN 10.11

-27.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,512

$1.98 PEN 6.83

-13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$2.27 PEN 7.82

-48.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,096

$1.03 PEN 3.55

53.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

$4.61 PEN 15.90

-15.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.3K

$7.66 PEN 26.41

83.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,682

$2.33 PEN 8.03

-24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,746

$3.56 PEN 12.28

-23.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,805

$1.14 PEN 3.91

3.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 246.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,827

$1.44 PEN 4.95

25.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,867

$0.56 PEN 1.94

280.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,113

$1.27 PEN 4.36

0.79%

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

$34.4K COP 111.1M

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

$34.1K COP 110.1M

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

$178 COP 573.2K

$51.2 PEN 176

247.13%

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

$13.89 COP 44.8K

$34.95 PEN 120

-60.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.1K

$44.29 PEN 153

-30.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 135.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.2K

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.1K

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

$790 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 278.4K

$52.5 PEN 181

64.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 191.1K

$34.57 PEN 119

71.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 446.2K

$34.53 PEN 119

300.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 318.7K

$67.5 PEN 233

46.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 COP 4.3M

$114 PEN 393

1076.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 COP 2.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 COP 6.4M

$234 PEN 807

743.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

$124 PEN 428

731.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

$407 PEN 1,403

58.70%

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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Pucallpa: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Pucallpa

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Pucallpa

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Pucallpa

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Pucallpa

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Pucallpa

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Pucallpa

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Pucallpa

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $114 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 59% 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 $47 in Medellin versus $12 in Pucallpa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $201 – making Pucallpa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇵🇪 Pucallpa

🕒 Local time

06:52 6:52 AM

Same time as Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

326,040

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR

1 PEN = 0.29 USD

1 PEN = 0.258 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,624 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.45 PEN (1 PEN = 0.29 USD). 1 EUR = 3.87 PEN (1 PEN = 0.258 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Pucallpa 1,630 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

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Medellin
Pucallpa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 237%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $753 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $114 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $12 in Pucallpa. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Pucallpa, where all-in costs run around $502, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Pucallpa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $502 in Pucallpa to $1,692 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Pucallpa. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.