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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,437 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,353 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $3,269 in Beirut.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 29% less than in Beirut, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Beirut is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

-44.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

-44.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

-11.82%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

-47.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

-30.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

-51.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

-39.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

-39.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

48.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

-24.18%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

-31.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

-61.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

-41.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

-21.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

35.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

30.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

27.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

16.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

11.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

9.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

-7.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

6.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

12.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

-56.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

-41.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

-70.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

53.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

-61.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

5.56%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-47.93%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

-4.02%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$218 LBP 19.5M

-62.20%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

-74.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

-35.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$68.4 LBP 6.1M

-62.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

-36.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

-51.66%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$297 LBP 26.6M

4.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

35.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

-18.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

-27.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$120 LBP 10.8M

-14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

13.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$809 LBP 72.4M

-41.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$370 LBP 33.1M

2.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

-58.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$950 LBP 85.0M

-23.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$3,685 LBP 329.8M

-24.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,978 LBP 177.1M

-38.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$651 LBP 58.2M

-21.33%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Beirut: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $809 in Beirut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beirut pays 27% 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 $188 vs $236 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Beirut earns 27% less. 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: $476 in Medellin versus $809 in Beirut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,437 in Beirut – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 72% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,437 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 42% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.