Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Byblos Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Byblos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $992 in Byblos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,626 in Byblos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,261 in Byblos.

Living in Medellin is roughly 70% more expensive than in Byblos, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Byblos is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$9.24 LBP 827.3K

-13.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$43.14 LBP 3.9M

10.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.06 LBP 631.7K

40.08%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.08 LBP 275.2K

1.62%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.97 LBP 87.0K

96.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.98 LBP 87.7K

54.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.26 LBP 112.3K

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.61 LBP 54.6K

308.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.55 LBP 139.1K

14.19%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.16 LBP 193.0K

37.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.78 LBP 785.9K

14.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$8.29 LBP 741.7K

22.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$11.77 LBP 1.1M

21.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.97 LBP 265.4K

39.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.03 LBP 181.7K

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.99 LBP 88.4K

127.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.98 LBP 176.8K

13.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

106.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.99 LBP 88.4K

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

33.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$3.94 LBP 352.2K

255.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.56 LBP 139.8K

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.95 LBP 174.5K

47.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.01 LBP 90.4K

20.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.98 LBP 87.8K

123.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.90 LBP 81.0K

52.22%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$22.8K LBP 2.0B

21.85%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$22.6K LBP 2.0B

58.59%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$101 LBP 9.0M

75.56%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$22.88 LBP 2.0M

-39.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$25.04 LBP 2.2M

18.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$38.03 LBP 3.4M

18.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$39.82 LBP 3.6M

-57.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$10.08 LBP 902.2K

-34.03%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$402 LBP 36.0M

102.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,973 LBP 266.1M

208.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$101 LBP 9.0M

-11.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$99.8 LBP 8.9M

-40.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$121 LBP 10.8M

14.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$149 LBP 13.3M

-31.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$294 LBP 26.3M

261.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$226 LBP 20.3M

192.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$815 LBP 72.9M

131.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$397 LBP 35.5M

158.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,340 LBP 119.9M

212.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$849 LBP 76.0M

97.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$991 LBP 88.7M

-31.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

36.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Byblos: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $294 in Byblos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $43.00 in Byblos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $218 per month, with Byblos 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 Byblos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Byblos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Byblos. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $294 in Byblos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $402 in Byblos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Byblos – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $992 in Byblos versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Byblos but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Byblos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Byblos 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 Byblos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.