Cost of Living Comparison Between Piedras Negras and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Piedras Negras and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,220 per month in Piedras Negras vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,971 per month in Piedras Negras vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,722 per month in Piedras Negras vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Piedras Negras is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Piedras Negras sits 11% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.65 MX$197

$8.03 COP 25.1K

45.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.04 MX$794

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-2.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 MX$157

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-4.81%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$64.1

$2.91 COP 9,095

30.58%

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

$1.50 MX$25.39

$1.94 COP 6,074

-22.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 MX$19.21

$1.52 COP 4,754

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 MX$48.35

$3.09 COP 9,663

-7.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MX$75.5

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-21.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$29.00

$1.36 COP 4,262

26.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 MX$46.82

$2.39 COP 7,460

15.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 MX$30.59

$1.70 COP 5,314

6.47%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$43.97

$2.87 COP 8,967

-9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 MX$150

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-10.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 MX$147

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-19.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.47 MX$210

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-15.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MX$49.98

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-27.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MX$28.53

$1.57 COP 4,911

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.17

$2.13 COP 6,642

-2.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.00

$2.21 COP 6,917

-14.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$34.97

$2.05 COP 6,396

0.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.07

$1.50 COP 4,700

26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 MX$24.76

$1.19 COP 3,718

23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.40

$1.16 COP 3,619

-0.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 MX$80.4

$3.90 COP 12.2K

22.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 MX$191

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-21.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MX$32.91

$1.58 COP 4,948

23.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 MX$58.1

$2.83 COP 8,836

21.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.31

$1.17 COP 3,650

-37.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 MX$46.61

$1.28 COP 4,014

115.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 MX$32.77

$2.09 COP 6,537

-7.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.90 MX$201

$8.62 COP 26.9K

38.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$24.60

$1.30 COP 4,056

12.31%

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

$22.9K MX$386.7K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-17.15%

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

$25.7K MX$433.4K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-27.68%

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

$61.5 MX$1,038

$176 COP 550.1K

-65.07%

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

$24.00 MX$405

$13.37 COP 41.8K

79.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 MX$532

$29.89 COP 93.4K

5.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 MX$621

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-17.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 MX$359

$17.06 COP 53.3K

24.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 MX$95.7

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-8.55%

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

$248 MX$4,188

$793 COP 2.5M

-68.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,447 MX$75.1K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-50.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 MX$995

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-31.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.76 MX$755

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-23.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$1,846

$136 COP 425.9K

-19.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.6 MX$1,545

$103 COP 322.2K

-11.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 MX$11.1K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-37.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 MX$7,162

$680 COP 2.1M

-37.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 MX$18.7K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-44.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 MX$13.9K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-29.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,002 MX$33.8K

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-51.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,255 MX$21.2K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-26.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,793 MX$30.3K

$665 COP 2.1M

169.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.94

3.29%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Piedras Negras: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $661 in Piedras Negras versus $1,060 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 170% higher in Piedras Negras, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Piedras Negras versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 vs $303 – making Piedras Negras 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

Piedras Negras vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,830 per month in Piedras Negras and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Piedras Negras, 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 $47.00 in Piedras Negras and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Piedras Negras, where all-in costs run around $1,220, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Piedras Negras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Piedras Negras – 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 Piedras Negras. 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.