Should you visit Pereira or Medellin?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Pereira and Medellin. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Pereira
Situated in a small valley in the western Andes, Pereira is the capital city of Risaralda, Colombia. The city is surrounded by coffee producing agriculture and sits in the middle of a triangle of cities including Bogota, Medillin and Cali, each of which is about a three to five hour drive away.
The city itself is very much student oriented, as there are many universities around town and at least one quarter of the population is made up of students. There is also a very European vibe to the city and you will find the area beautiful with many parks and museums.
Pereira's economy is based on government, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, trade, commerce, and tourism. Agricultural products include sugarcane, cacao, rubber, cereals, coffee, and livestock. Apparel is the main manufacturing product, along with aluminium goods, motorcycles and telecommunications technology.
Pereira is found in a warm moorland area with an average temperature of around 72 degrees. The temperatures remain relatively consistent throughout the year with highs in the high 70s Fahrenheit to low 80s Fahrenheit. Low temperatures are usually in the low 60s Fahrenheit. Rain is heaviest during the months of April and May as well as October and November.
Medellin
In addition to big improvements in public safety, Medellin has witnessed a huge surge in urban development projects, including Colombia's first metro system and cable cars to service poorer neighborhoods located high on the mountain sides. There is an abundance of parks, libraries, museums and public spaces with many cultural events taking place. Many travelers also enjoy visiting the surrounding villages, where life is simple and landscapes and nature reserves are wonderful. Medellin has now become one of the "it" cities in the world, with tons of tourists visiting and foreigners settling and retiring here. Beautiful mountains, warm weather, friendly locals, and a vibrant culture are just a few of the reasons why you should visit Medellin.
Which city is cheaper, Medellin or Pereira?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Pereira is $52, while the average daily cost in Medellin is $16. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Pereira and Medellin in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $42 for a double occupancy room in Pereira.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $3.62. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Medellin the cost is $7.24 on average.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Pereira cost around $19 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $7.60.
Food in Medellin costs travelers about $6.40 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Pereira $19
Medellin $6.40
Typical Food prices in Pereira
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Pereira:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pereira
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Pereira.
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Private Tropical Cooking Class in Pereira with Fruit Tasting:
$120
Typical Food prices in Medellin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Medellin:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Medellin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Medellin.
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Medellin Local Flavours: Night Street Private Food Tour:
$50
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Half-day Medellín Street Food tour with a local guide:
$65
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Homemade Paisa Dinner at a Local's Home in Medellín:
$69
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Homemade Paisa Dinner at a Local's Home in Medellín:
$69
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Community project cooking class and Medellin social transformation tour:
$70
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Private Market Tour and Colombian Cooking Lesson With a Local Family in Medellin:
$80
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Withlocals LIVE Meditation and Online Cooking for a Healthy Mind and Body:
$93
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Medellín Food Tour:
$94
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food tour:
$97
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Sabaneta and Envigado Best Local Food Tour from Medellin:
$99
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Full Day Private Medellin City, Street Art and Food Tour:
$104
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Private Market Tour & Colombian Cooking Lesson with a Local in her Medellín Home:
$111
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Pereira is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $17 per person, per day, on local transportation in Pereira.
The average price of local transportation around Medellin is $2.39 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Pereira
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Pereira are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pereira
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pereira:
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Private Transfer Pereira to Salento (or vice versa):
$54
Typical Local Transportation prices in Medellin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Medellin:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Medellin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Medellin:
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Airport Transfer:
$43
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Departure Private Transfer from Medellin City to Medellin Airport MDE by 2x4 Car:
$82
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Departure Private Transfer from Medellin City to Medellin Airport MDE by Minibus:
$188
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Departure Private Transfer from Medellin City to Medellin Airport MDE by Minivan:
$188
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History and Street Art Tour in Comuna 13 with Private Transfer:
$18
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Hotel to Airport Transportation in Medellin (transfer service):
$25
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Medellin Airport Pick-up (transfer service):
$25
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Medellin Coffee Tour with transfer:
$123
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Medellín Private Transfer from Medellín City to Olaya Herrera (EOH) Airport:
$50
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Medellín Private Transfer from Olaya Herrera (EOH) Airport to Medellín City:
$50
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Medellín Private Transfer to / from Guatapé:
$55
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Private Airport Round-Trip Transfer: MDE Medellin Airport to Medellin City:
$55
Is it cheaper to fly into Pereira or Medellin?
Prices for flights to both Medellin and Pereira change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Pereira typically cost an average of $15 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Medellin's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $10 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Pereira
Here are a few actual costs in Pereira for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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[Online Experience] Enjoy the Awakening of Birds:
$20
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[Online Experience] Explore the Coffee Process_From Tree to Cup:
$23
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Coffee Tour Santa Rosa de Cabal:
$86
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Pereira Full Day Bike Tour: Nature and Coffee:
$122
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Pereira Full Day Bike Tour: Local Means of Transport Route:
$128
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Full Day Tour of Cocora Valley, Salento, and Filandia Coffee Town (from Pereira):
$133
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Full Day Tour of Cocora Valley, Salento, and Coffee Farm Tour (from Pereira):
$167
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Cocora Tour, Water Star:
$201
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2-Day Biking and Hiking Tour in the Coffee Region from Pereira:
$404
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Romantic tour in Pereira:
$498
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The Best of Pereira Walking Tour:
$498
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5-Day Biking Tour Including Coffee and Cultural from Pereira:
$1,744
Tours and Activities in Medellin
Here are a few actual costs in Medellin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Medellin Walking Tour with Snacks and Skip The Line Access:
$5.00
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Skip the Line: Museum of Antioquia Admission Ticket:
$6.50
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Virtual Tour: Colonial Santa Fe de Antioquia:
$14
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Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour:
$15
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Comuna 13 Tour Graffiti by Locals Sag Tour Medellin:
$17
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Graffiti tour electrical stairs!:
$19
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Tropical Exotic Fruits Tour in Laureles:
$19
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Storytellers Tours:
$21
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The "not polite to use his name" City Tour:
$24
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Medellín Experience (full inmersion into the Aburrá Valley and its surroundings):
$24
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The North Side - Medellín Downtown Experience:
$25
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Atours - the side b of medellín, a tour for the real city:
$25
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Pereira may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $11 per day on alcoholic beverages.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Medellin may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $5.75 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Medellin
Also in Medellin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Live the Nightlife Rooftop Pub Crawl:
$20
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Medellin private bar crawl:
$94
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Medellin Pub Crawl Including Food and City Tour:
$145
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pereira and Medellin, we can see that Pereira is more expensive. And not only is Medellin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Medellin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Medellin and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Pereira would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pereira than you might in Medellin.
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