Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $903 per month in Trujillo vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,357 per month in Trujillo vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,811 per month in Trujillo vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Trujillo is about 47% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Trujillo sits 34% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 PEN 12.21

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-54.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 PEN 80.5

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-50.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 PEN 24.51

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-25.18%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PEN 11.15

$2.91 COP 9,095

14.09%

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

$0.97 PEN 3.26

$1.94 COP 6,074

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$1.52 COP 4,754

-59.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 PEN 6.83

$3.09 COP 9,663

-33.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 PEN 11.93

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-37.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.74

$1.36 COP 4,262

3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 PEN 7.12

$2.39 COP 7,460

-11.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.08

$1.70 COP 5,314

-28.24%

Eggs

$4.22 PEN 14.16

$2.87 COP 8,967

47.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 PEN 26.10

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-21.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 PEN 22.97

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-36.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 PEN 30.70

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-37.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 PEN 5.51

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-59.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.92

$1.57 COP 4,911

-63.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.93

$2.13 COP 6,642

-72.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.89

$2.21 COP 6,917

-61.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.14

$2.05 COP 6,396

-54.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.94

$1.50 COP 4,700

-21.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 PEN 4.21

$1.19 COP 3,718

5.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 PEN 3.75

$1.16 COP 3,619

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 PEN 15.10

$3.90 COP 12.2K

15.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.96 PEN 19.98

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-58.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.87

$1.58 COP 4,948

10.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 PEN 5.34

$2.83 COP 8,836

-43.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$1.17 COP 3,650

-47.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.04 PEN 60.5

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-76.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 PEN 8.72

$1.28 COP 4,014

103.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 PEN 7.39

$2.09 COP 6,537

5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 PEN 19.62

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-32.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 PEN 5.60

$1.30 COP 4,056

28.46%

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

$18.0K PEN 60.3K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-35.00%

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

$28.6K PEN 95.8K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-19.58%

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

$100 PEN 336

$176 COP 550.1K

-43.13%

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

$13.55 PEN 45.44

$13.37 COP 41.8K

1.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.50 PEN 92.2

$29.89 COP 93.4K

-8.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.19 PEN 138

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-7.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.89 PEN 19.75

$17.06 COP 53.3K

-65.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 PEN 14.84

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-28.55%

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

$109 PEN 367

$793 COP 2.5M

-86.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,172 PEN 7,283

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-75.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 PEN 246

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-14.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.14 PEN 50.8

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-74.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.31 PEN 159

$136 COP 425.9K

-65.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.86 PEN 150

$103 COP 322.2K

-56.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 PEN 1,341

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-62.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 PEN 862

$680 COP 2.1M

-62.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 PEN 2,574

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-61.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 PEN 1,752

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-55.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,183 PEN 3,967

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-71.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 PEN 1,796

$665 COP 2.1M

-19.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.7

10.94

6.95%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Trujillo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $400 in Trujillo versus $1,060 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 24% 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 $24.00 in Trujillo versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $303 – making Trujillo 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

Trujillo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 90%, 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 $1,355 per month in Trujillo and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Trujillo, 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 $24.00 in Trujillo and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $903 in Trujillo and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Trujillo, where all-in costs run around $903, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Trujillo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Trujillo – 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 Trujillo. 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.