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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $450 per month in Pucallpa vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $756 per month in Pucallpa vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,062 per month in Pucallpa vs $2,188 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 67% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PEN 7.47

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-63.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.18 PEN 38.01

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-66.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 PEN 16.55

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-32.64%

Cappuccino

$1.92 PEN 6.52

$1.63 COP 5,687

17.79%

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

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$1.09 COP 3,821

-8.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.73 COP 2,548

-60.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 PEN 5.80

$1.74 COP 6,065

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PEN 7.47

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-31.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 PEN 3.45

$1.05 COP 3,662

-3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 PEN 11.59

$1.29 COP 4,515

164.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 PEN 3.73

$1.32 COP 4,617

-16.67%

Eggs

$1.69 PEN 5.75

$2.27 COP 7,927

-25.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.89 PEN 6.43

$4.35 COP 15.2K

-56.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.00 PEN 13.59

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-31.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.27 PEN 11.10

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-62.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 PEN 7.63

$2.25 COP 7,844

-0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 PEN 4.80

$1.07 COP 3,733

31.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 PEN 4.87

$1.52 COP 5,322

-5.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 PEN 8.63

$1.42 COP 4,964

78.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 PEN 3.23

$1.17 COP 4,084

-18.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 PEN 6.53

$1.17 COP 4,077

64.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$0.89 COP 3,096

-20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 PEN 3.43

$0.90 COP 3,146

12.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 PEN 15.48

$2.25 COP 7,837

102.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 PEN 26.74

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-28.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 PEN 7.70

$1.14 COP 3,977

99.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 PEN 11.48

$2.38 COP 8,301

42.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$0.84 COP 2,916

29.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 PEN 4.80

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 PEN 1.88

$1.90 COP 6,634

-71.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 PEN 4.10

$1.01 COP 3,509

19.80%

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)

$50.1 PEN 170

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-40.12%

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

$15.00 PEN 51.0

$9.45 COP 33.0K

58.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.85 PEN 142

$24.11 COP 84.1K

73.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 PEN 169

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-14.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.24 PEN 113

$32.56 COP 113.6K

2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.51 PEN 114

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-66.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.1 PEN 215

$109 COP 378.8K

-41.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 PEN 377

$482 COP 1.7M

-76.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 PEN 751

$837 COP 2.9M

-73.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 PEN 401

$723 COP 2.5M

-83.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$411 PEN 1,397

$541 COP 1.9M

-24.03%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $111 in Pucallpa 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.

Salaries run about 32% 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 126%, 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 $675 per month in Pucallpa 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 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 $450, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.