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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $510 per month in Pucallpa vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $850 per month in Pucallpa vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,191 per month in Pucallpa vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Pucallpa is about 69% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Pucallpa sits 63% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 PEN 7.84

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-70.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.76 PEN 39.42

$48.29 COP 148.7K

-75.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 PEN 17.41

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-44.90%

Cappuccino

$2.11 PEN 7.08

$2.94 COP 9,045

-28.23%

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

$1.05 PEN 3.53

$1.86 COP 5,738

-43.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 PEN 0.97

$1.46 COP 4,481

-80.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 PEN 5.92

$3.21 COP 9,887

-44.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PEN 8.06

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-57.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 PEN 3.51

$1.44 COP 4,431

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 PEN 12.51

$2.40 COP 7,393

55.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.89

$1.70 COP 5,230

-31.76%

Eggs

$1.82 PEN 6.11

$2.89 COP 8,901

-37.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.06 PEN 6.92

$10.06 COP 31.0K

-79.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.04 PEN 13.55

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-59.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.67 PEN 12.30

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-74.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 PEN 7.82

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-41.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 4.95

$1.58 COP 4,880

-6.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.05

$2.15 COP 6,627

-29.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 PEN 9.01

$2.30 COP 7,082

16.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 PEN 10.23

$2.00 COP 6,172

52.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 PEN 7.10

$1.51 COP 4,648

40.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PEN 8.08

$1.20 COP 3,703

100.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PEN 3.41

$1.28 COP 3,948

-20.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 PEN 15.55

$3.84 COP 11.8K

20.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 PEN 27.60

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-41.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 PEN 8.08

$1.71 COP 5,259

40.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 PEN 12.03

$2.74 COP 8,444

31.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 PEN 4.07

$1.25 COP 3,836

-2.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 PEN 4.91

$1.31 COP 4,018

12.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$2.17 COP 6,684

-74.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.35

$1.36 COP 4,174

-4.41%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

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

$53.4 PEN 179

$169 COP 519.5K

-68.34%

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

$36.08 PEN 121

$13.57 COP 41.8K

165.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.85 PEN 147

$28.32 COP 87.2K

54.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 PEN 177

$87.4 COP 269.0K

-39.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.75 PEN 120

$59.4 COP 182.8K

-39.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.11 PEN 118

$139 COP 427.7K

-74.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.2 PEN 229

$102 COP 314.2K

-33.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$119 PEN 399

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-88.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 PEN 782

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-87.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$128 PEN 428

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-87.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$424 PEN 1,420

$655 COP 2.0M

-35.33%

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 Pucallpa: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $119 in Pucallpa 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 55% 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 $12.00 in Pucallpa versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $300 – 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 222%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $765 per month in Pucallpa 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 Pucallpa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $12.00 in Pucallpa and $48.00 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 $510, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.