Cost of Living Comparison Between Pisco and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Pisco and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $528 per month in Pisco vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $830 per month in Pisco vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,132 per month in Pisco vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Pisco is about 49% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pisco and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Pisco 60% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PEN 7.46

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-64.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.05 PEN 37.47

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-66.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.38 PEN 11.47

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-53.95%

Cappuccino

$1.43 PEN 4.83

$1.72 COP 5,600

-16.86%

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

$0.68 PEN 2.30

$1.05 COP 3,420

-35.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 PEN 0.98

$0.77 COP 2,515

-62.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 PEN 6.47

$1.69 COP 5,488

13.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 PEN 13.00

$3.17 COP 10.3K

20.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 4.98

$1.05 COP 3,423

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 PEN 9.14

$1.30 COP 4,236

106.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.43

$1.40 COP 4,544

-7.14%

Eggs

$2.83 PEN 9.61

$2.16 COP 7,047

31.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 PEN 27.41

$4.39 COP 14.3K

84.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 PEN 18.75

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 PEN 36.11

$8.64 COP 28.1K

23.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 PEN 6.88

$2.28 COP 7,426

-10.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.11 COP 3,604

-2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 PEN 3.90

$1.53 COP 4,983

-24.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 PEN 4.26

$1.35 COP 4,410

-6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$1.13 COP 3,674

-11.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$1.13 COP 3,692

-11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 2.98

$0.85 COP 2,753

3.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.12

$0.91 COP 2,975

1.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 PEN 18.76

$2.34 COP 7,630

136.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 PEN 30.10

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-28.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 PEN 6.02

$1.20 COP 3,909

47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 PEN 10.14

$2.49 COP 8,104

20.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 PEN 11.56

$1.42 COP 4,623

140.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 PEN 7.23

$1.92 COP 6,235

10.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.17 PEN 27.70

$7.66 COP 24.9K

6.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.39

$0.99 COP 3,223

31.31%

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

$19.6K PEN 66.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

8.85%

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

$24.9K PEN 84.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-6.52%

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

$55.9 PEN 190

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-30.83%

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

$12.50 PEN 42.42

$9.95 COP 32.4K

25.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.30 PEN 79.0

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-3.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 PEN 23.86

$3.98 COP 13.0K

76.63%

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

$220 PEN 748

$305 COP 993.5K

-27.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,928 PEN 26.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

30.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 PEN 170

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-14.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.79 PEN 125

$32.20 COP 104.8K

14.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 PEN 305

$101 COP 327.9K

-10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 PEN 300

$108 COP 350.8K

-17.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 PEN 6,061

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-44.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,327 PEN 4,502

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-3.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 PEN 1,957

$617 COP 2.0M

-6.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

13.43

-24.72%

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

Last update for Pisco: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 7% 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 $11.00 in Pisco versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Pisco vs $193 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

Pisco vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $792 per month in Pisco and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Pisco and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pisco, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Pisco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pisco – 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 Pisco. 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.