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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $779 per month in Trujillo vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,173 per month in Trujillo vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,567 per month in Trujillo vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Trujillo is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Trujillo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Trujillo 42% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 PEN 11.00

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-47.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.70 PEN 46.48

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-57.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 PEN 22.82

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-8.31%

Cappuccino

$2.98 PEN 10.10

$1.72 COP 5,600

73.26%

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

$0.89 PEN 3.02

$1.05 COP 3,420

-15.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.77 COP 2,515

-23.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 PEN 6.52

$1.69 COP 5,488

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 PEN 11.19

$3.17 COP 10.3K

4.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 PEN 3.56

$1.05 COP 3,423

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 PEN 6.02

$1.30 COP 4,236

36.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.82

$1.40 COP 4,544

-19.29%

Eggs

$3.88 PEN 13.15

$2.16 COP 7,047

79.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 PEN 21.96

$5.88 COP 19.1K

10.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 PEN 25.50

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-12.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.98

$2.28 COP 7,426

-48.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.11 COP 3,604

-47.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.95

$1.53 COP 4,983

-62.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.40

$1.35 COP 4,410

-47.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 PEN 3.13

$1.13 COP 3,674

-18.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$1.13 COP 3,692

-27.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 PEN 3.09

$0.85 COP 2,753

7.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.11

$0.91 COP 2,975

1.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 PEN 14.49

$2.34 COP 7,630

82.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 PEN 19.63

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-53.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 PEN 4.77

$1.20 COP 3,909

17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 PEN 5.59

$2.49 COP 8,104

-33.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 PEN 2.16

$0.84 COP 2,728

-23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.38 PEN 55.6

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-59.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 PEN 9.49

$1.42 COP 4,623

97.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 PEN 6.75

$1.92 COP 6,235

3.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 PEN 19.22

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-26.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$0.99 COP 3,223

37.37%

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

$16.9K PEN 57.3K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-6.31%

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

$26.2K PEN 88.9K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-1.61%

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

$76.6 PEN 260

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-5.26%

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

$8.48 PEN 28.78

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-14.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 PEN 72.0

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-12.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.00 PEN 122

$25.08 COP 81.7K

43.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 PEN 18.30

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-71.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 PEN 14.11

$3.98 COP 13.0K

4.52%

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

$102 PEN 346

$305 COP 993.5K

-66.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,963 PEN 6,660

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-67.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 PEN 240

$58.1 COP 189.2K

21.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.00 PEN 47.48

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-56.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.71 PEN 111

$101 COP 327.9K

-67.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.74 PEN 111

$108 COP 350.8K

-69.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 PEN 1,238

$477 COP 1.6M

-23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 PEN 871

$376 COP 1.2M

-31.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 PEN 2,043

$845 COP 2.7M

-28.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 PEN 1,659

$730 COP 2.4M

-33.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,138 PEN 3,860

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-64.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$821 PEN 2,786

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-40.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 PEN 1,779

$617 COP 2.0M

-14.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.7

13.43

-5.44%

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

Last update for Trujillo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Trujillo versus $477 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 18% 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 $14.00 in Trujillo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $159 vs $193 – 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 32%, 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 $1,169 per month in Trujillo and $1,546 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 $14.00 in Trujillo and $33.00 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 $779 in Trujillo and $1,031 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 $779, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.