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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,009 in Byblos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,609 in Byblos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $2,209 in Byblos.

Living in Medellin is roughly 2% more expensive than Byblos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Byblos 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$8.09 LBP 724.1K

-25.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$42.13 LBP 3.8M

-22.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$8.13 LBP 728.0K

-8.73%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$3.06 LBP 273.6K

-46.08%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

10.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$1.01 LBP 90.6K

-24.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.21 LBP 108.5K

-13.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.65 LBP 58.6K

101.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.61 LBP 143.7K

-16.77%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.12 LBP 190.2K

3.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$8.90 LBP 796.5K

-50.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$8.08 LBP 723.3K

-29.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$12.04 LBP 1.1M

-29.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.06 LBP 274.3K

-23.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.97 LBP 176.0K

-43.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$0.97 LBP 86.9K

56.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.97 LBP 175.9K

-30.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.99 LBP 88.5K

16.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.97 LBP 86.9K

21.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

-18.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.02 LBP 91.6K

-15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$3.96 LBP 354.2K

192.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.48 LBP 132.6K

-18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.98 LBP 177.0K

25.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

-19.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.91 LBP 81.1K

10.99%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$22.6K LBP 2.0B

-21.90%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$22.1K LBP 2.0B

19.46%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$101 LBP 9.1M

-19.89%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$22.86 LBP 2.0M

-58.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$25.15 LBP 2.3M

-5.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$37.76 LBP 3.4M

-31.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$18.40 LBP 1.6M

1.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$10.09 LBP 902.9K

-59.46%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$405 LBP 36.3M

-22.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$3,042 LBP 272.2M

97.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$99.8 LBP 8.9M

-40.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$101 LBP 9.0M

-68.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$118 LBP 10.5M

-14.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$153 LBP 13.7M

-31.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$301 LBP 26.9M

61.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$223 LBP 20.0M

63.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$784 LBP 70.2M

5.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$393 LBP 35.2M

85.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,324 LBP 118.5M

126.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$845 LBP 75.6M

55.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$986 LBP 88.2M

-44.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Byblos: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $301 in Byblos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $42.00 in Byblos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $218 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 Byblos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Byblos is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Byblos earns 79% 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: $485 in Medellin versus $301 in Byblos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $315 in Medellin versus $405 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 $42.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,009 in Byblos versus $1,028 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 2% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.