Cost of Living Comparison Between Piura and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Piura and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $735 per month in Piura vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,256 per month in Piura vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,778 per month in Piura vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Piura is about 55% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Piura sits 47% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 PEN 12.31

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-54.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.34 PEN 85.0

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-47.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 PEN 24.36

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-22.82%

Cappuccino

$3.35 PEN 11.23

$2.94 COP 9,040

13.95%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.74

$1.86 COP 5,735

-39.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.41

$1.46 COP 4,479

-50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 PEN 7.84

$3.21 COP 9,882

-27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 PEN 10.06

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-47.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.89

$1.44 COP 4,428

1.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 PEN 8.85

$2.40 COP 7,389

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 PEN 5.43

$1.70 COP 5,228

-4.71%

Eggs

$2.87 PEN 9.61

$2.89 COP 8,896

-0.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 PEN 36.19

$10.06 COP 30.9K

7.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 PEN 29.69

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-11.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 PEN 36.40

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-23.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 PEN 4.78

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-64.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.36

$1.58 COP 4,878

-17.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.07

$2.15 COP 6,624

-29.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.57

$2.30 COP 7,078

-40.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 PEN 4.29

$2.00 COP 6,169

-36.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 PEN 2.46

$1.51 COP 4,646

-51.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 PEN 3.04

$1.20 COP 3,701

-24.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 PEN 4.59

$1.28 COP 3,946

7.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.05 PEN 26.99

$3.84 COP 11.8K

109.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 PEN 38.13

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 PEN 6.41

$1.71 COP 5,256

11.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 PEN 9.74

$2.74 COP 8,440

6.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 PEN 2.34

$1.25 COP 3,834

-44.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.26 PEN 71.3

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-72.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 PEN 10.58

$1.31 COP 4,016

141.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 PEN 7.91

$2.17 COP 6,680

8.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.58 PEN 25.42

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-8.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 4.98

$1.36 COP 4,172

9.56%

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

$22.3K PEN 74.8K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-18.83%

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

$23.9K PEN 80.2K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-34.55%

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

$42.21 PEN 142

$169 COP 519.2K

-74.98%

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

$8.82 PEN 29.55

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-35.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.64 PEN 99.4

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-35.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$2.46 PEN 8.25

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-63.01%

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

$200 PEN 670

$803 COP 2.5M

-75.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,379 PEN 7,976

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-74.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.11 PEN 148

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-49.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.58 PEN 45.52

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-77.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 PEN 203

$139 COP 427.5K

-56.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 PEN 254

$102 COP 314.0K

-25.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 PEN 790

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-77.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 PEN 444

$653 COP 2.0M

-79.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 PEN 1,364

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-78.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 PEN 1,343

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-61.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,896 PEN 13.1K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-5.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 PEN 1,856

$655 COP 2.0M

-15.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Piura: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Piura versus $1,071 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 18% 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 $25.00 in Piura versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $300 – making Piura the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Piura vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 123%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,102 per month in Piura and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Piura, 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 $25.00 in Piura and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $735 in Piura and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Piura, where all-in costs run around $735, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Piura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Piura – 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 Piura. 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.