Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jal el Dib Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jal el Dib

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $858 in Jal el Dib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,359 in Jal el Dib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,859 in Jal el Dib.

Living in Medellin is roughly 18% more expensive than Jal el Dib, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Jal el Dib 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$11.00 LBP 984.5K

-45.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$40.77 LBP 3.6M

-18.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.83 LBP 700.6K

-7.66%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.04 LBP 182.4K

-20.10%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.02 LBP 90.9K

6.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.87 LBP 77.9K

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.53 LBP 316.0K

-50.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$5.12 LBP 458.7K

-36.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.71 LBP 153.4K

-38.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.85 LBP 76.3K

51.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.75 LBP 156.2K

-24.57%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.41 LBP 215.9K

-5.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.15 LBP 998.3K

-60.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$9.55 LBP 855.1K

-38.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.20 LBP 912.8K

-15.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.02 LBP 91.6K

120.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.53 LBP 137.0K

-30.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.03 LBP 92.1K

47.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.83 LBP 74.2K

71.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.69 LBP 61.6K

69.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.51 LBP 45.9K

129.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.52 LBP 46.2K

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.31 LBP 27.9K

190.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.44 LBP 218.3K

-7.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.16 LBP 909.3K

8.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

-0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.52 LBP 136.0K

56.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.52 LBP 136.5K

-44.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$51.3 LBP 4.6M

-18.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$5.02 LBP 449.7K

-71.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.27 LBP 113.3K

49.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$20.07 LBP 1.8M

-61.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.76 LBP 68.4K

32.89%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$35.4K LBP 3.2B

-50.30%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

-4.03%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$140 LBP 12.5M

-40.19%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$38.28 LBP 3.4M

-75.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$36.67 LBP 3.3M

-34.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$20.12 LBP 1.8M

25.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.93 LBP 441.6K

-16.84%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$197 LBP 17.6M

58.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,519 LBP 136.0M

294.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

-17.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$44.61 LBP 4.0M

-27.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$124 LBP 11.1M

-19.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$92.9 LBP 8.3M

16.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Jal el Dib: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $41.00 in Jal el Dib for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $215 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 Jal el Dib: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jal el Dib is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,287 in Jal el Dib to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Jal el Dib – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $858 in Jal el Dib – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $858 in Jal el Dib versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jal el Dib but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Jal el Dib the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jal el Dib 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Jal el Dib are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jal el Dib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.