Cost of Living Comparison Between Pucallpa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Pucallpa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $448 per month in Pucallpa vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $754 per month in Pucallpa vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,061 per month in Pucallpa vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Both Pucallpa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Pucallpa 66% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 PEN 7.70

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-61.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.91 PEN 37.10

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-66.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 PEN 16.92

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-32.97%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PEN 6.74

$1.65 COP 5,276

20.00%

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

$0.93 PEN 3.17

$1.10 COP 3,514

-15.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 PEN 1.00

$0.78 COP 2,491

-62.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PEN 5.83

$1.72 COP 5,484

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 PEN 7.64

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-29.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 PEN 3.44

$1.10 COP 3,521

-8.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 PEN 12.11

$1.26 COP 4,015

182.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.69

$1.38 COP 4,407

-21.01%

Eggs

$1.72 PEN 5.84

$2.18 COP 6,950

-21.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.99 PEN 6.75

$4.49 COP 14.3K

-55.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 PEN 12.85

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-34.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.38 PEN 11.49

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-62.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 PEN 7.72

$2.32 COP 7,405

-2.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.82

$1.06 COP 3,397

33.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.83

$1.52 COP 4,838

-6.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 PEN 8.46

$1.36 COP 4,327

83.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.25

$1.13 COP 3,599

-15.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 PEN 6.46

$1.17 COP 3,738

62.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 PEN 2.61

$0.90 COP 2,876

-14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 PEN 3.25

$0.90 COP 2,861

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 PEN 14.69

$2.23 COP 7,128

93.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 PEN 26.33

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-36.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 PEN 7.37

$1.19 COP 3,793

82.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 PEN 11.60

$2.48 COP 7,920

37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$0.85 COP 2,723

28.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 PEN 4.60

$1.42 COP 4,518

-4.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 PEN 1.77

$1.95 COP 6,223

-73.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 PEN 3.95

$0.99 COP 3,160

17.17%

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)

$49.39 PEN 168

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-40.50%

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

$15.11 PEN 51.4

$9.70 COP 30.9K

55.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.42 PEN 141

$23.52 COP 75.0K

76.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

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

$316 COP 1.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.77 PEN 169

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-17.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.26 PEN 113

$31.82 COP 101.5K

4.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.57 PEN 114

$102 COP 324.4K

-66.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 PEN 213

$107 COP 342.8K

-41.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$109 PEN 372

$475 COP 1.5M

-76.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 PEN 770

$849 COP 2.7M

-73.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 PEN 402

$719 COP 2.3M

-83.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$419 PEN 1,424

$624 COP 2.0M

-32.92%

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 Pucallpa: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $109 in Pucallpa 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 49% 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 Pucallpa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $193 – making Pucallpa 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

Pucallpa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 124%, 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 $672 per month in Pucallpa 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 Pucallpa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

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

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pucallpa, where all-in costs run around $448, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Pucallpa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pucallpa – 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 Pucallpa. 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.