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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $630 per month in Piura vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,056 per month in Piura vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Piura vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Piura is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Piura and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Piura 53% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 PEN 9.18

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-54.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.22 PEN 38.13

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-66.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PEN 18.82

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-23.51%

Cappuccino

$3.40 PEN 11.56

$1.63 COP 5,687

108.59%

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

$1.71 PEN 5.81

$1.09 COP 3,821

56.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 PEN 1.79

$0.73 COP 2,548

-27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.45

$1.74 COP 6,065

25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 PEN 9.73

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 PEN 3.89

$1.05 COP 3,662

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 PEN 10.61

$1.29 COP 4,515

141.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.84

$1.32 COP 4,617

7.58%

Eggs

$2.11 PEN 7.16

$2.27 COP 7,927

-7.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 PEN 28.18

$4.35 COP 15.2K

90.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 PEN 24.71

$5.88 COP 20.5K

23.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 PEN 32.96

$8.61 COP 30.0K

12.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.43

$2.25 COP 7,844

-42.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$1.07 COP 3,733

-23.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.94

$1.52 COP 5,322

-43.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 PEN 3.81

$1.42 COP 4,964

-21.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$1.17 COP 4,084

8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

$1.17 COP 4,077

-51.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 1.98

$0.89 COP 3,096

-34.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 PEN 2.68

$0.90 COP 3,146

-12.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.41 PEN 28.60

$2.25 COP 7,837

273.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 PEN 37.00

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 PEN 5.97

$1.14 COP 3,977

54.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PEN 9.25

$2.38 COP 8,301

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 PEN 1.37

$0.84 COP 2,916

-52.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 PEN 5.81

$1.41 COP 4,912

21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.65

$1.90 COP 6,634

-12.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 PEN 18.82

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-28.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 PEN 4.89

$1.01 COP 3,509

42.57%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$39.79 PEN 135

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-52.45%

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

$8.43 PEN 28.64

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-10.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.53 PEN 93.6

$25.31 COP 88.3K

8.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-46.59%

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

$187 PEN 635

$312 COP 1.1M

-40.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,195 PEN 7,462

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-63.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.97 PEN 139

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-29.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.56 PEN 42.70

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-61.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.1 PEN 187

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-44.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 PEN 232

$109 COP 378.8K

-37.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$138 PEN 469

$482 COP 1.7M

-71.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 PEN 420

$379 COP 1.3M

-67.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,124

$837 COP 2.9M

-60.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 PEN 1,327

$723 COP 2.5M

-46.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,667 PEN 12.5K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

29.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Piura: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $138 in Piura versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Piura versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Piura vs $190 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

Piura vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 61%, 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 $944 per month in Piura and $1,525 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 $11.00 in Piura 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 16% 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 Piura, where all-in costs run around $630, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.