Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Pec and Medellin
For one person, living is cheaper in Pec: $665 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pec and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $665 per month in Pec vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.
Pec $665
Medellin $1,614
A couple spends around $1,078 per month in Pec vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.
Pec $1,078
Medellin $2,402
A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Pec vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.
Pec $1,490
Medellin $3,190
🙂
Pec is about 59% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Pec sits 51% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Pec
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.52€4.91
$7.93COP 25.2K
-30.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.36€19.89
$46.13COP 146.3K
-51.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.33€3.85
$9.50COP 30.1K
-54.42%
Cappuccino
$1.32€1.18
$3.11COP 9,866
-57.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56€1.39
$1.83COP 5,800
-14.75%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05€0.94
$1.38COP 4,360
-23.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.96€1.74
$3.05COP 9,672
-35.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77€2.46
$5.50COP 17.4K
-49.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pec
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28€1.13
$1.45COP 4,600
-11.72%
White Bread(500g)
$0.63€0.56
$2.36COP 7,496
-73.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.32€1.17
$1.68COP 5,328
-21.43%
Eggs
$1.81€1.61
$2.86COP 9,077
-36.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.63€6.78
$10.19COP 32.3K
-25.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.50€5.78
$9.53COP 30.2K
-31.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.30€10.94
$14.04COP 44.5K
-12.39%
Apples(1kg)
$1.43€1.27
$4.07COP 12.9K
-64.86%
Banana(1kg)
$1.42€1.27
$1.50COP 4,742
-5.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.11€0.98
$2.17COP 6,891
-48.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.69€1.51
$2.31COP 7,310
-26.84%
Potato(1kg)
$0.90€0.80
$1.93COP 6,113
-53.37%
Onion(1kg)
$0.87€0.77
$1.64COP 5,196
-46.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.79€0.71
$1.13COP 3,571
-30.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50€0.44
$1.25COP 3,954
-60.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.84€2.53
$3.99COP 12.6K
-28.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.56€4.94
$13.35COP 42.3K
-58.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.88€0.79
$1.70COP 5,384
-48.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19€1.06
$2.37COP 7,525
-49.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Pec
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.21COP 3,827
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$76.5COP 242.5K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.19€1.94
$1.32COP 4,179
65.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.55€0.49
$2.14COP 6,774
-74.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.30€2.94
$8.47COP 26.8K
-61.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.42€1.26
$1.30COP 4,114
9.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K€19.8K
$28.0KCOP 88.7M
-20.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K€23.3K
$35.4KCOP 112.3M
-26.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pec
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$104€92.3
$172COP 545.6K
-39.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.14€9.91
$13.37COP 42.4K
-16.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.36€20.78
$28.73COP 91.1K
-18.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pec
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$21.87€19.46
$45.24COP 143.5K
-51.66%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.79€30.06
$17.04COP 54.0K
98.30%
Cinema Ticket
$4.56€4.06
$6.28COP 19.9K
-27.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pec
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$150€133
$770COP 2.4M
-80.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,954€2,627
$9,011COP 28.6M
-67.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pec
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.97€37.33
$86.4COP 274.0K
-51.43%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.42€25.28
$57.1COP 181.1K
-50.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$63.6€56.6
$137COP 432.9K
-53.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.5€72.5
$97.9COP 310.4K
-16.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pec
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$167€149
$1,055COP 3.3M
-84.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$111€98.7
$616COP 2.0M
-81.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$335€298
$1,892COP 6.0M
-82.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$277€247
$1,023COP 3.2M
-72.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,251€1,112
$4,059COP 12.9M
-69.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,043€928
$1,678COP 5.3M
-37.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pec
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$471€419
$652COP 2.1M
-27.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.5
10.94
-58.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pec: October 12, 2026
Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Pec
$184 27.7%
Medellin
$295 18.3% ↑ 60.1%$111
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pec
$138 20.8%
Medellin
$214 13.3% ↑ 54.9%$76
🏠Accommodation & Living
Pec
$111 16.7%
Medellin
$616 38.2% ↑ 455%$505
🍽Eating Out
Pec
$99 14.9%
Medellin
$168 10.4% ↑ 70.3%$70
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Pec
$97 14.6%
Medellin
$170 10.5% ↑ 75.4%$73
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Pec
$31 4.7%
Medellin
$58 3.6% ↑ 86.5%$27
🚌Getting Around
Pec
$4.9 * 0.7%
Medellin
$93 5.8% ↑ 1793%$88
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Pec
$435 29.2%
Medellin
$679 21.3% ↑ 56%$244
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pec
$149 10%
Medellin
$228 7.1% ↑ 52.3%$78
🏠Accommodation & Living
Pec
$277 18.6%
Medellin
$1K 32.1% ↑ 269%$745
🍽Eating Out
Pec
$307 20.6%
Medellin
$561 17.6% ↑ 82.8%$254
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Pec
$215 14.5%
Medellin
$378 11.9% ↑ 75.4%$163
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Pec
$96 6.4%
Medellin
$133 4.2% ↑ 38.5%$37
🚌Getting Around
Pec
$9.9 * 0.7%
Medellin
$189 5.9% ↑ 1817%$179
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $167 in Pec versus $1,055 in Medellin. 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 39% 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 $22.00 in Pec versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $295 – making Pec the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Pec vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Pec?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 143%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $997 per month in Pec and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pec, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Pec or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Pec and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Pec and in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 60% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Pec or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pec, where all-in costs run around $665, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Pec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Pec or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Pec – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Pec or Medellin?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Pec. 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.