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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $619 per month in Piura vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,023 per month in Piura vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,427 per month in Piura vs $2,143 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 54% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-52.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.89 PEN 37.05

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-66.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 PEN 19.07

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-24.50%

Cappuccino

$3.28 PEN 11.15

$1.65 COP 5,276

98.79%

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

$1.71 PEN 5.83

$1.10 COP 3,514

55.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 PEN 1.80

$0.78 COP 2,491

-32.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 PEN 7.78

$1.72 COP 5,484

33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PEN 9.29

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-14.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 PEN 3.84

$1.10 COP 3,521

2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$1.26 COP 4,015

138.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.63

$1.38 COP 4,407

-1.45%

Eggs

$2.04 PEN 6.94

$2.18 COP 6,950

-6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 PEN 27.82

$4.49 COP 14.3K

82.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.19 PEN 24.46

$5.79 COP 18.5K

24.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 PEN 31.49

$8.97 COP 28.6K

3.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.40

$2.32 COP 7,405

-43.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.88

$1.06 COP 3,397

-19.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 PEN 2.70

$1.52 COP 4,838

-48.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.72

$1.36 COP 4,327

-19.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$1.13 COP 3,599

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.87

$1.17 COP 3,738

-52.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$0.90 COP 2,876

-41.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 PEN 2.71

$0.90 COP 2,861

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.28 PEN 28.17

$2.23 COP 7,128

271.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 PEN 38.23

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-7.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 PEN 6.21

$1.19 COP 3,793

53.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PEN 9.40

$2.48 COP 7,920

11.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PEN 1.48

$0.85 COP 2,723

-49.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 PEN 5.84

$1.42 COP 4,518

21.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 PEN 5.43

$1.95 COP 6,223

-17.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 PEN 19.11

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-28.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 PEN 4.73

$0.99 COP 3,160

40.40%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

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

$38.69 PEN 132

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-53.39%

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

$8.21 PEN 27.92

$9.70 COP 30.9K

-15.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.18 PEN 95.9

$25.26 COP 80.6K

11.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$2.26 PEN 7.68

$3.95 COP 12.6K

-42.78%

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

$189 PEN 643

$316 COP 1.0M

-40.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,217 PEN 7,538

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-62.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.92 PEN 139

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-31.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.39 PEN 42.13

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-61.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.4 PEN 192

$102 COP 324.4K

-44.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 PEN 240

$107 COP 342.8K

-34.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$140 PEN 477

$475 COP 1.5M

-70.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 PEN 433

$374 COP 1.2M

-65.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,127

$849 COP 2.7M

-60.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 PEN 1,308

$719 COP 2.3M

-46.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 PEN 12.7K

$3,265 COP 10.4M

14.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$540 PEN 1,837

$624 COP 2.0M

-13.50%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $140 in Piura versus $475 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 16% 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 Piura versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Piura 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

Piura vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 62%, 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 $928 per month in Piura and $1,504 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 12% 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 $619, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.