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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,005 in Byblos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,614 in Byblos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,223 in Byblos.

Monthly costs are close between Medellin and Byblos; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$7.89 LBP 705.7K

-25.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$42.19 LBP 3.8M

-21.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.93 LBP 710.1K

-6.31%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.91 LBP 260.6K

-43.30%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.98 LBP 87.5K

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

-22.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.20 LBP 107.2K

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.62 LBP 55.8K

103.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.56 LBP 139.6K

-11.54%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.08 LBP 186.4K

4.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.98 LBP 804.0K

-50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$8.07 LBP 722.6K

-28.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.06 LBP 1.1M

-25.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.05 LBP 272.6K

-23.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.06 LBP 184.3K

-48.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

55.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.98 LBP 177.6K

-31.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.02 LBP 91.5K

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.02 LBP 91.1K

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.02 LBP 91.0K

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$3.97 LBP 355.3K

205.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.50 LBP 134.1K

-20.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

25.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.03 LBP 91.9K

-17.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.96 LBP 85.6K

3.13%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$22.2K LBP 2.0B

-20.74%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.8K LBP 2.0B

17.41%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$102 LBP 9.1M

-18.61%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$22.14 LBP 2.0M

-56.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$25.21 LBP 2.3M

-6.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$37.89 LBP 3.4M

-33.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$18.49 LBP 1.7M

3.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$9.90 LBP 886.0K

-60.10%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$393 LBP 35.2M

-19.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,036 LBP 271.7M

96.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$100 LBP 9.0M

-40.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$98.3 LBP 8.8M

-67.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$121 LBP 10.8M

-15.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$152 LBP 13.6M

-29.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$298 LBP 26.7M

59.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$227 LBP 20.3M

64.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$804 LBP 71.9M

5.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$396 LBP 35.4M

81.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,346 LBP 120.5M

142.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$826 LBP 73.9M

74.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$988 LBP 88.4M

-36.80%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Byblos: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $298 in Byblos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 58% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $42.00 in Byblos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 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

On paper, salaries run 58% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $298 in Byblos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $42.00 in Byblos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $393 in Byblos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,005 in Byblos, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Byblos. 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 Byblos, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Medellin wins on affordability, Byblos on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.