Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Beirut Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Beirut

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,390 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $2,293 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $3,195 in Beirut.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 26% less than in Beirut, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Beirut is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$10.63 LBP 951.4K

-42.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

-45.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.84 LBP 701.7K

-6.38%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.32 LBP 296.7K

-48.19%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

-33.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.87 LBP 77.7K

-11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$3.48 LBP 311.5K

-51.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.95 LBP 442.9K

-35.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

-40.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.79 LBP 70.8K

64.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

-23.08%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$3.10 LBP 277.8K

-30.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.08 LBP 992.0K

-60.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$9.37 LBP 838.3K

-37.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

-24.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

-23.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.14 LBP 102.2K

34.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.05 LBP 94.1K

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.00 LBP 89.1K

13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

-4.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.52 LBP 225.9K

-7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.18 LBP 911.3K

21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.30 LBP 116.1K

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

16.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

-57.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

-42.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

-71.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

52.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

-61.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

6.45%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

-48.27%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-4.82%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$217 LBP 19.4M

-62.73%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$37.42 LBP 3.3M

-73.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$37.20 LBP 3.3M

-35.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

-63.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$29.66 LBP 2.7M

-35.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

-49.17%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$305 LBP 27.3M

0.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,511 LBP 403.7M

34.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

-16.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$44.73 LBP 4.0M

-28.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$121 LBP 10.9M

-17.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$94.7 LBP 8.5M

13.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$789 LBP 70.6M

-39.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$376 LBP 33.7M

-0.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,956 LBP 175.1M

-56.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$970 LBP 86.8M

-24.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,944 LBP 352.9M

-18.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,952 LBP 174.7M

-29.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$715 LBP 64.0M

-13.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.16

20.34%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Beirut: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $789 in Beirut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beirut pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $60.0 in Beirut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $233 per month, with Medellin 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 Beirut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Beirut. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $789 in Beirut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,390 in Beirut – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 75% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,390 in Beirut, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.