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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $998 in Byblos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,589 in Byblos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,180 in Byblos.

Living in Medellin is roughly 4% more expensive than Byblos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Byblos 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.10 LBP 724.9K

-26.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$41.76 LBP 3.7M

-21.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.19 LBP 733.4K

-12.09%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.94 LBP 263.3K

-42.18%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.98 LBP 87.4K

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.25 LBP 111.5K

-15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.65 LBP 58.5K

92.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.60 LBP 143.6K

-13.13%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.04 LBP 182.7K

10.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.18 LBP 821.9K

-52.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$8.18 LBP 732.4K

-28.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.17 LBP 1.1M

-27.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.06 LBP 273.7K

-26.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.04 LBP 182.6K

-47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.03 LBP 91.9K

48.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.02 LBP 180.7K

-32.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

16.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

13.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

-15.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.98 LBP 87.8K

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.09 LBP 365.6K

172.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.50 LBP 134.0K

-20.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.98 LBP 177.3K

19.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.03 LBP 91.8K

-23.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.92 LBP 82.2K

2.17%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$22.2K LBP 2.0B

-19.15%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$22.7K LBP 2.0B

18.12%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$101 LBP 9.0M

-16.82%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$22.46 LBP 2.0M

-57.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$24.83 LBP 2.2M

-2.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$37.59 LBP 3.4M

-31.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$18.56 LBP 1.7M

2.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$9.93 LBP 888.4K

-60.52%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$403 LBP 36.1M

-23.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,964 LBP 265.3M

99.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$98.3 LBP 8.8M

-41.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$101 LBP 9.1M

-68.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$119 LBP 10.7M

-16.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$153 LBP 13.7M

-29.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$295 LBP 26.4M

64.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$228 LBP 20.4M

61.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$796 LBP 71.2M

3.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$407 LBP 36.5M

75.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,326 LBP 118.7M

120.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$855 LBP 76.5M

64.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$998 LBP 89.4M

-45.37%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Byblos: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $295 in Byblos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 83% 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 $221 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Byblos earns 83% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $295 in Byblos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $403 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 $998 in Byblos versus $1,034 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 4% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.