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 $1,085 per month in Piedras Negras vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,689 per month in Piedras Negras vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,293 per month in Piedras Negras vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Piedras Negras costs about 5% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Piedras Negras and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Piedras Negras 19% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.80 MX$135

$5.92 COP 21.2K

31.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.96 MX$415

$33.17 COP 118.7K

-27.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 MX$138

$7.25 COP 25.9K

10.21%

Cappuccino

$2.44 MX$42.36

$1.71 COP 6,137

42.69%

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

$1.32 MX$22.85

$1.09 COP 3,915

21.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MX$11.72

$0.77 COP 2,743

-11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.34 MX$23.25

$1.75 COP 6,254

-23.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 MX$48.99

$3.18 COP 11.4K

-11.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.38

$1.06 COP 3,792

54.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$1.30 COP 4,657

140.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.12

$1.38 COP 4,926

21.74%

Eggs

$3.50 MX$60.7

$2.21 COP 7,908

58.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 MX$164

$4.52 COP 16.2K

109.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MX$78.3

$5.80 COP 20.7K

-22.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 MX$225

$8.97 COP 32.1K

44.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.05

$2.29 COP 8,182

13.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 MX$22.50

$1.06 COP 3,791

22.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.21

$1.51 COP 5,411

7.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.28

$1.36 COP 4,869

58.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 MX$39.86

$1.16 COP 4,146

98.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.56

$1.17 COP 4,174

60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MX$20.16

$0.83 COP 2,960

39.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.51

$0.85 COP 3,043

32.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.0

$2.35 COP 8,423

74.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 MX$192

$11.09 COP 39.7K

-0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.69

$1.15 COP 4,133

33.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MX$60.2

$2.47 COP 8,853

40.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 MX$16.88

$0.79 COP 2,827

22.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 MX$76.1

$1.44 COP 5,140

204.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 MX$26.95

$1.90 COP 6,793

-17.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 MX$148

$7.70 COP 27.6K

10.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MX$21.54

$1.03 COP 3,680

20.39%

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

$18.4K MX$318.3K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

3.87%

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

$24.0K MX$415.6K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

-11.22%

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

$57.0 MX$988

$81.4 COP 291.4K

-29.96%

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

$17.16 MX$297

$9.42 COP 33.7K

82.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.54 MX$443

$23.77 COP 85.1K

7.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.99 MX$624

$25.86 COP 92.6K

39.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.65 MX$271

$19.34 COP 69.2K

-19.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MX$81.4

$4.05 COP 14.5K

16.05%

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

$208 MX$3,596

$312 COP 1.1M

-33.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,566 MX$61.8K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

-41.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.18 MX$783

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-23.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.91 MX$692

$32.82 COP 117.5K

21.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 MX$1,523

$100 COP 359.6K

-12.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 MX$1,228

$106 COP 380.3K

-33.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MX$8,754

$490 COP 1.8M

3.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 MX$6,925

$371 COP 1.3M

7.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 MX$16.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

10.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 MX$13.0K

$715 COP 2.6M

5.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,961 MX$34.0K

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-33.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,290 MX$22.4K

$1,394 COP 5.0M

-7.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,710 MX$29.6K

$532 COP 1.9M

221.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

13.43

-14.52%

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

Last update for Piedras Negras: April 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $505 in Piedras Negras versus $490 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 221% higher in Piedras Negras, 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 $24 in Piedras Negras versus $33 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $262 in Piedras Negras vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Piedras Negras is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,627 per month in Piedras Negras and $1,544 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $24.00 in Piedras Negras and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Piedras Negras, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Piedras Negras at $1,085. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Piedras Negras it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Piedras Negras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.