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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $386 in Al Bayda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $614 in Al Bayda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $842 in Al Bayda.

Living in Medellin is roughly 162% more expensive than Al Bayda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Al Bayda 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.41 LYD 34.38

10.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$16.57 LYD 105

98.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.39 LYD 34.26

31.54%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LYD 1.87

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$0.43 LYD 2.71

297.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.39 LYD 2.46

182.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.09 LYD 0.58

766.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.71 LYD 4.48

53.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.29 LYD 1.85

334.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.49 LYD 9.45

-7.38%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.40 LYD 15.26

-8.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.47 LYD 22.07

62.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.71 LYD 49.02

15.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.42 LYD 9.04

64.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.34 LYD 8.53

-20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.35 LYD 8.62

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.53 LYD 3.40

160.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.59 LYD 3.72

94.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.52 LYD 3.33

123.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.88 LYD 5.60

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.16 LYD 1.00

425.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LYD 3.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.84 LYD 11.73

23.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.96 LYD 6.11

-10.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.95 LYD 6.06

54.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.69 LYD 23.43

109.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.03 LYD 0.17

3066.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$11.0K LYD 70.0K

140.60%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$5.41 LYD 34.40

1420.33%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.15 LYD 58.2

3.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$45.69 LYD 291

-46.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$11.81 LYD 75.1

119.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$27.68 LYD 176

1017.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$36.72 LYD 234

59.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$36.51 LYD 232

-11.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$73.1 LYD 465

48.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$126 LYD 803

276.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$73.9 LYD 470

412.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$182 LYD 1,158

360.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$128 LYD 816

464.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Bayda: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $126 in Al Bayda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $17.00 in Al Bayda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $97.0 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 162% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $579 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: $476 in Medellin versus $126 in Al Bayda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $27.68 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 $17.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $386 in Al Bayda versus $1,013 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 162% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.