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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $530 per month in Pisco vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $822 per month in Pisco vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,114 per month in Pisco vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Pisco is about 48% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pisco and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Pisco 60% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-63.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.16 PEN 37.98

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-66.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 PEN 11.27

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-53.31%

Cappuccino

$1.40 PEN 4.76

$1.71 COP 6,115

-18.13%

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

$0.66 PEN 2.24

$1.10 COP 3,924

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.78 COP 2,781

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 PEN 6.57

$1.68 COP 5,997

14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PEN 13.42

$3.07 COP 11.0K

28.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 PEN 5.04

$1.09 COP 3,906

35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 PEN 8.94

$1.26 COP 4,508

108.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.56

$1.38 COP 4,922

-2.90%

Eggs

$2.97 PEN 10.11

$2.19 COP 7,827

35.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.39

$4.40 COP 15.7K

76.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 PEN 19.64

$5.63 COP 20.1K

2.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 PEN 36.27

$8.89 COP 31.8K

19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 PEN 6.98

$2.34 COP 8,349

-12.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.78

$1.06 COP 3,777

4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$1.50 COP 5,374

-27.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.27

$1.38 COP 4,924

-9.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.53

$1.15 COP 4,111

-9.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 PEN 3.24

$1.16 COP 4,155

-18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 PEN 2.79

$0.89 COP 3,182

-7.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.92

$0.84 COP 2,997

2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 PEN 18.50

$2.28 COP 8,145

138.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 PEN 30.43

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-15.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.79

$1.20 COP 4,284

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 PEN 10.35

$2.47 COP 8,824

23.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 PEN 11.50

$1.47 COP 5,264

129.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.52

$1.96 COP 7,009

12.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 PEN 28.50

$7.74 COP 27.6K

8.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.59

$0.95 COP 3,409

42.11%

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

$19.8K PEN 67.3K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

9.05%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.4K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-6.35%

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

$57.2 PEN 194

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-30.49%

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

$12.41 PEN 42.22

$9.50 COP 33.9K

30.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.50 PEN 80.0

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-3.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 PEN 23.50

$3.93 COP 14.0K

75.83%

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

$215 PEN 731

$309 COP 1.1M

-30.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,083 PEN 27.5K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

35.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 PEN 169

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-15.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.46 PEN 121

$32.35 COP 115.5K

9.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PEN 303

$103 COP 366.4K

-13.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 PEN 310

$108 COP 387.2K

-16.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,809 PEN 6,154

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-35.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 PEN 4,542

$1,211 COP 4.3M

10.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$583 PEN 1,985

$512 COP 1.8M

13.98%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 14% higher in Pisco, 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 $11.00 in Pisco versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Pisco 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

Pisco vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 91%, 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 $795 per month in Pisco and $1,519 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 17% 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 $530, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.