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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $447 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $740 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,032 in Pucallpa, rent included.

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

Both Medellin and Pucallpa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Pucallpa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$2.28 PEN 7.77

163.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$11.24 PEN 38.32

192.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$5.07 PEN 17.27

46.35%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.96 PEN 6.68

-15.82%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.99 PEN 3.39

8.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.27 PEN 0.91

181.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.64 PEN 5.59

4.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.19 PEN 7.46

46.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.97 PEN 3.31

8.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$3.45 PEN 11.77

-62.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.14 PEN 3.88

17.54%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.65 PEN 5.64

32.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$2.00 PEN 6.80

120.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.91 PEN 13.33

45.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$3.37 PEN 11.50

152.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.28 PEN 7.77

2.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.42 PEN 4.85

-21.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.42 PEN 4.83

7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$2.57 PEN 8.78

-46.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.90 PEN 3.05

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.00 PEN 6.81

-41.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.72 PEN 2.44

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.99 PEN 3.37

-13.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$4.56 PEN 15.53

-50.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$8.13 PEN 27.72

42.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.25 PEN 7.68

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$3.25 PEN 11.07

-23.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$1.09 PEN 3.73

-27.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.37 PEN 4.67

7.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.52 PEN 1.77

269.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.17 PEN 3.98

-13.68%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$49.79 PEN 170

62.88%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$14.58 PEN 49.71

-35.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$41.65 PEN 142

-42.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$50.5 PEN 172

18.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$33.49 PEN 114

-4.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$32.68 PEN 111

209.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$63.5 PEN 217

65.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$113 PEN 384

330.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$225 PEN 766

268.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$119 PEN 406

513.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$414 PEN 1,411

33.12%

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 Pucallpa: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $113 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 33% 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: $190 vs $185 – 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 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $670 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 3% 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 $447, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.