Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ajdabiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ajdabiya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $125 in Ajdabiya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $197 in Ajdabiya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $269 in Ajdabiya.

Living in Medellin is roughly 721% more expensive than Ajdabiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Ajdabiya 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$8.27 LYD 52.6

3.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.44 LYD 9.18

62.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.08 LYD 6.89

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$0.74 LYD 4.72

105.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$0.45 LYD 2.85

204.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.48 LYD 3.06

139.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.44 LYD 2.79

168.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.19 LYD 1.22

352.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$1.85 LYD 11.77

22.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.94 LYD 6.00

56.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$126 LYD 802

284.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$73.6 LYD 468

396.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$270 LYD 1,717

206.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$148 LYD 942

392.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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 Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Ajdabiya: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $126 in Ajdabiya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

Medellin vs Ajdabiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ajdabiya wins on cost – living expenses run 721% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ajdabiya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,542 in Medellin and $188 in Ajdabiya to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $485 in Medellin versus $126 in Ajdabiya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 292% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $125 in Ajdabiya – a 721% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $125 in Ajdabiya versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ajdabiya but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ajdabiya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ajdabiya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $125 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ajdabiya hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ajdabiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 721% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.