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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $784 per month in Trujillo vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,170 per month in Trujillo vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,557 per month in Trujillo vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Trujillo is about 23% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Trujillo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Trujillo 41% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.21 PEN 10.91

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-46.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.85 PEN 47.14

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-57.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 PEN 22.96

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-4.80%

Cappuccino

$2.88 PEN 9.81

$1.71 COP 6,115

68.42%

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

$0.89 PEN 3.04

$1.10 COP 3,924

-19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 PEN 1.95

$0.78 COP 2,781

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PEN 6.77

$1.68 COP 5,997

18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 PEN 11.37

$3.07 COP 11.0K

8.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 PEN 3.42

$1.09 COP 3,906

-7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 PEN 6.24

$1.26 COP 4,508

45.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.88

$1.38 COP 4,922

-17.39%

Eggs

$3.85 PEN 13.11

$2.19 COP 7,827

75.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 PEN 22.22

$5.63 COP 20.1K

15.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 PEN 25.94

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.85

$2.34 COP 8,349

-51.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.06 COP 3,777

-45.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.50 COP 5,374

-61.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 PEN 2.58

$1.38 COP 4,924

-44.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.18

$1.15 COP 4,111

-19.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.74

$1.16 COP 4,155

-30.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.03

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.94

$0.84 COP 2,997

2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 PEN 13.77

$2.28 COP 8,145

77.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 PEN 19.63

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-45.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PEN 4.83

$1.20 COP 4,284

18.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.80

$2.47 COP 8,824

-31.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.86 COP 3,056

-31.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.72 PEN 56.9

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-59.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 PEN 9.35

$1.47 COP 5,264

87.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.97

$1.96 COP 7,009

4.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 PEN 18.79

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-28.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$0.95 COP 3,409

43.16%

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

$16.9K PEN 57.7K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-6.52%

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

$26.6K PEN 90.4K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

0.28%

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

$74.4 PEN 253

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-9.59%

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

$8.19 PEN 27.85

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-13.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.99 PEN 71.4

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-13.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 PEN 120

$25.89 COP 92.4K

36.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 PEN 19.21

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-70.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 PEN 13.84

$3.93 COP 14.0K

3.56%

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

$106 PEN 360

$309 COP 1.1M

-65.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,029 PEN 6,902

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-65.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 PEN 237

$58.7 COP 209.5K

18.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.96 PEN 47.48

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-56.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.78 PEN 115

$103 COP 366.4K

-67.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.69 PEN 111

$108 COP 387.2K

-69.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 PEN 1,246

$476 COP 1.7M

-23.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 PEN 865

$379 COP 1.4M

-32.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 PEN 2,047

$838 COP 3.0M

-28.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 PEN 1,624

$724 COP 2.6M

-34.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,138 PEN 3,872

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-59.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$834 PEN 2,837

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-31.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$539 PEN 1,834

$512 COP 1.8M

5.35%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $366 in Trujillo versus $476 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 5% higher in Trujillo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Trujillo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $160 vs $188 – 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 29%, 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 $1,176 per month in Trujillo and $1,519 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 $784 in Trujillo and $1,013 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 $784, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.