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 $1,088 per month in Piedras Negras vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,698 per month in Piedras Negras vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,308 per month in Piedras Negras vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Piedras Negras costs about 7% 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.78 MX$135

$5.93 COP 19.0K

31.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.60 MX$411

$33.12 COP 106.0K

-28.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 MX$136

$7.12 COP 22.8K

9.69%

Cappuccino

$2.48 MX$43.22

$1.71 COP 5,457

45.03%

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

$1.32 MX$22.97

$1.05 COP 3,356

25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MX$11.93

$0.72 COP 2,311

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 MX$22.41

$1.72 COP 5,502

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 MX$49.74

$3.17 COP 10.2K

-9.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$1.06 COP 3,408

61.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$53.5

$1.31 COP 4,192

135.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.56

$1.33 COP 4,256

27.82%

Eggs

$3.51 MX$61.0

$2.28 COP 7,298

53.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 MX$161

$4.42 COP 14.1K

109.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MX$78.6

$5.92 COP 18.9K

-23.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.85 MX$224

$8.64 COP 27.7K

48.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 MX$45.67

$2.34 COP 7,504

11.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$1.10 COP 3,527

20.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 MX$27.01

$1.47 COP 4,698

5.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 MX$39.02

$1.38 COP 4,415

62.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 MX$38.44

$1.17 COP 3,754

88.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.80

$1.17 COP 3,744

60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MX$21.18

$0.90 COP 2,890

35.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.26

$0.84 COP 2,693

38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.4

$2.33 COP 7,449

78.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 MX$191

$11.92 COP 38.1K

-8.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.79

$1.15 COP 3,673

33.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 MX$58.6

$2.42 COP 7,749

39.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$0.84 COP 2,687

7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 MX$74.6

$1.41 COP 4,517

204.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.75

$1.91 COP 6,127

-19.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.12 MX$141

$7.83 COP 25.0K

3.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 MX$21.81

$0.94 COP 3,020

32.98%

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

$18.4K MX$319.8K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

3.13%

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

$23.4K MX$406.6K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

-13.71%

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

$56.5 MX$984

$83.3 COP 266.4K

-32.09%

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

$17.14 MX$298

$9.66 COP 30.9K

77.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.88 MX$450

$24.22 COP 77.5K

6.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.39 MX$616

$25.22 COP 80.7K

40.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 MX$280

$19.33 COP 61.9K

-16.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 MX$78.7

$4.07 COP 13.0K

11.06%

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

$203 MX$3,530

$307 COP 981.2K

-33.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,552 MX$61.8K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

-40.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.59 MX$793

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-23.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.45 MX$704

$32.65 COP 104.5K

23.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 MX$1,539

$101 COP 323.5K

-12.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.7 MX$1,230

$108 COP 345.7K

-34.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 MX$8,843

$476 COP 1.5M

6.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MX$6,850

$379 COP 1.2M

3.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$922 MX$16.1K

$816 COP 2.6M

12.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 MX$13.5K

$707 COP 2.3M

9.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 MX$33.5K

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-39.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

$1,446 COP 4.6M

-13.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MX$30.3K

$622 COP 2.0M

180.19%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $508 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 180% 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 – $262 in Piedras Negras vs $192 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 7%, 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 $1,632 per month in Piedras Negras and $1,527 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 36% 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 $1,018, than in Piedras Negras at $1,088. 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.