Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al Bayda Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al Bayda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $389 in Al Bayda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $622 in Al Bayda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $855 in Al Bayda.

Living in Medellin is roughly 165% more expensive than in Al Bayda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Al Bayda 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.60 LYD 35.70

10.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$16.31 LYD 104

99.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.59 LYD 35.60

31.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LYD 1.85

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.42 LYD 2.70

309.52%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.38 LYD 2.45

176.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.08 LYD 0.53

862.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.75 LYD 4.77

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.27 LYD 1.71

381.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.46 LYD 9.29

-4.11%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.46 LYD 15.65

-12.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.42 LYD 21.76

71.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.95 LYD 50.6

8.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.35 LYD 8.60

68.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.36 LYD 8.67

-18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.37 LYD 8.70

11.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.57 LYD 3.63

136.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.63 LYD 4.00

79.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.54 LYD 3.41

109.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.95 LYD 6.02

-10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.13 LYD 0.82

600.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LYD 3.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.86 LYD 11.84

25.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.95 LYD 6.06

-11.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.94 LYD 5.97

51.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.61 LYD 23.01

112.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.03 LYD 0.18

3200.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$11.1K LYD 70.6K

140.35%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$5.46 LYD 34.81

1380.04%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.12 LYD 58.1

9.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$45.01 LYD 287

-46.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$11.84 LYD 75.4

111.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$27.60 LYD 176

1005.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$36.13 LYD 230

60.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$37.34 LYD 238

-13.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$74.9 LYD 477

43.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$131 LYD 833

264.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$74.0 LYD 471

408.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$186 LYD 1,185

354.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$127 LYD 812

473.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Bayda: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $131 in Al Bayda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $16.00 in Al Bayda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $98.0 per month, with Al Bayda cheaper across the board.

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 Al Bayda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Bayda is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 165% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $583 in Al Bayda 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: $477 in Medellin versus $131 in Al Bayda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $27.60 in Al Bayda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Bayda – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $389 in Al Bayda versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Bayda but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Al Bayda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Bayda is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Al Bayda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.