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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $453 per month in Pucallpa vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $745 per month in Pucallpa vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,036 per month in Pucallpa vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Pucallpa is about 56% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pucallpa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Pucallpa 66% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 PEN 7.91

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-61.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.32 PEN 39.83

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-65.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 PEN 17.65

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-30.42%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PEN 6.96

$1.70 COP 6,140

16.47%

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

$0.95 PEN 3.33

$1.10 COP 3,966

-13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 PEN 0.94

$0.72 COP 2,605

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PEN 6.05

$1.67 COP 6,022

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 PEN 7.99

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-26.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 PEN 3.46

$1.06 COP 3,809

-7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 PEN 12.54

$1.25 COP 4,497

184.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.80

$1.39 COP 5,022

-22.30%

Eggs

$1.65 PEN 5.81

$2.26 COP 8,168

-26.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.89 PEN 6.65

$4.33 COP 15.6K

-56.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.98 PEN 14.01

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-31.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.41 PEN 12.01

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-61.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 PEN 7.66

$2.24 COP 8,099

-2.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 PEN 4.98

$1.08 COP 3,882

30.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 5.01

$1.53 COP 5,522

-7.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 PEN 8.64

$1.37 COP 4,950

78.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 PEN 3.34

$1.13 COP 4,078

-15.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 PEN 6.67

$1.12 COP 4,036

69.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 PEN 2.67

$0.85 COP 3,057

-10.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 PEN 3.30

$0.91 COP 3,281

3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 PEN 15.42

$2.33 COP 8,414

87.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 PEN 27.11

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-30.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 PEN 7.94

$1.19 COP 4,309

89.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 PEN 11.79

$2.37 COP 8,553

41.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 PEN 3.98

$0.79 COP 2,838

43.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 PEN 4.77

$1.44 COP 5,184

-6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 PEN 1.82

$1.91 COP 6,901

-72.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 PEN 4.14

$0.94 COP 3,385

25.53%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$49.63 PEN 175

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-40.89%

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

$15.10 PEN 53.2

$9.60 COP 34.7K

57.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.63 PEN 147

$24.16 COP 87.2K

72.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 PEN 179

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-12.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.11 PEN 117

$31.82 COP 114.9K

4.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.65 PEN 118

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-66.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.7 PEN 224

$107 COP 386.8K

-40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 PEN 392

$487 COP 1.8M

-77.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 PEN 781

$826 COP 3.0M

-73.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$119 PEN 419

$716 COP 2.6M

-83.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$405 PEN 1,426

$546 COP 2.0M

-25.74%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $111 in Pucallpa versus $487 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 35% 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 $190 – 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 128%, 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 $680 per month in Pucallpa and $1,550 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 3% 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 $453, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.