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 $1,050 per month in Piedras Negras vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,674 per month in Piedras Negras vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,298 per month in Piedras Negras vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Piedras Negras costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Piedras Negras and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Piedras Negras 22% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.76 MX$136

$5.99 COP 21.5K

29.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.24 MX$423

$32.86 COP 118.1K

-26.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 MX$137

$7.09 COP 25.5K

10.86%

Cappuccino

$2.50 MX$43.60

$1.71 COP 6,154

46.20%

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

$1.28 MX$22.40

$1.10 COP 3,949

16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 MX$11.00

$0.78 COP 2,798

-19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 MX$23.72

$1.68 COP 6,035

-19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MX$49.77

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-7.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.93

$1.09 COP 3,930

56.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 MX$54.6

$1.26 COP 4,536

147.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$1.38 COP 4,953

26.09%

Eggs

$3.69 MX$64.4

$2.19 COP 7,876

68.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 MX$169

$4.40 COP 15.8K

120.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MX$81.4

$5.63 COP 20.2K

-17.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 MX$226

$8.89 COP 32.0K

45.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.58

$2.34 COP 8,401

11.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 MX$23.38

$1.06 COP 3,801

26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.39

$1.50 COP 5,408

4.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.66

$1.38 COP 4,955

56.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 MX$38.52

$1.15 COP 4,137

92.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.88

$1.16 COP 4,181

57.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MX$20.33

$0.89 COP 3,202

30.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 MX$20.35

$0.84 COP 3,016

39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

$2.28 COP 8,196

85.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.00 MX$192

$10.64 COP 38.2K

3.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.20 COP 4,311

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 MX$60.8

$2.47 COP 8,880

40.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 MX$16.63

$0.86 COP 3,075

10.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 MX$77.1

$1.47 COP 5,297

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 MX$27.06

$1.96 COP 7,053

-20.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.74 COP 27.8K

6.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MX$21.59

$0.95 COP 3,430

30.53%

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

$18.3K MX$319.1K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

0.77%

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

$23.8K MX$415.6K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

-10.16%

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

$55.9 MX$976

$82.3 COP 295.6K

-32.05%

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

$17.33 MX$303

$9.50 COP 34.1K

82.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.34 MX$443

$24.23 COP 87.1K

4.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.58 MX$621

$25.89 COP 93.0K

37.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.62 MX$273

$19.00 COP 68.3K

-17.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 MX$83.0

$3.93 COP 14.1K

20.87%

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

$205 MX$3,583

$309 COP 1.1M

-33.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,562 MX$62.2K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

-40.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.19 MX$772

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-24.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.24 MX$703

$32.35 COP 116.2K

24.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 MX$1,568

$103 COP 368.7K

-12.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 MX$1,272

$108 COP 389.6K

-32.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MX$8,816

$476 COP 1.7M

6.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,803

$379 COP 1.4M

2.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 MX$16.5K

$838 COP 3.0M

12.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 MX$13.5K

$724 COP 2.6M

6.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,978 MX$34.5K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-29.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,261 MX$22.0K

$1,211 COP 4.4M

4.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,737 MX$30.3K

$512 COP 1.8M

239.31%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $505 in Piedras Negras versus $476 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 239% 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 $24.00 in Piedras Negras versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $265 in Piedras Negras vs $188 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 4%, 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 $1,575 per month in Piedras Negras and $1,519 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 41% 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 $1,013, than in Piedras Negras at $1,050. 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.