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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $998 in Jal el Dib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,614 in Jal el Dib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,230 in Jal el Dib.

Living in Medellin is roughly 68% more expensive than in Jal el Dib, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Jal el Dib is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$11.89 LBP 1.1M

-32.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$63.9 LBP 5.7M

-25.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$10.19 LBP 912.1K

-2.94%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$4.62 LBP 413.4K

-32.25%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$2.37 LBP 212.0K

-19.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.86 LBP 76.6K

75.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$5.12 LBP 458.5K

-39.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$5.11 LBP 457.6K

12.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.88 LBP 168.1K

-23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.87 LBP 77.9K

186.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$2.16 LBP 193.7K

-18.06%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$3.66 LBP 327.3K

-19.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$13.51 LBP 1.2M

-25.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$10.73 LBP 960.0K

-5.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$14.01 LBP 1.3M

2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.09 LBP 276.5K

33.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.64 LBP 147.2K

-1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.64 LBP 146.4K

37.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.53 LBP 136.6K

47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.36 LBP 121.4K

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.66 LBP 148.4K

-7.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.17 LBP 104.7K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.72 LBP 64.8K

81.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.94 LBP 262.9K

32.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$10.18 LBP 911.5K

37.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.33 LBP 119.3K

30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.57 LBP 229.7K

11.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$5.04 LBP 450.9K

-74.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$2.28 LBP 203.7K

-3.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$22.52 LBP 2.0M

-61.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.04 LBP 93.1K

31.73%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$52.8K LBP 4.7B

-47.27%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$32.9K LBP 2.9B

8.62%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$230 LBP 20.6M

-23.03%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$23.29 LBP 2.1M

-40.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$38.35 LBP 3.4M

-22.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$10.08 LBP 901.9K

-34.03%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$679 LBP 60.7M

19.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$10.7K LBP 959.5M

-14.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$67.8 LBP 6.1M

31.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$48.37 LBP 4.3M

21.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$140 LBP 12.5M

-1.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$119 LBP 10.6M

-13.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Jal el Dib: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $64.0 in Jal el Dib. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $279, with Jal el Dib cheaper for home cooking.

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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $1,497 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.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $679 in Jal el Dib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jal el Dib – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $998 in Jal el Dib versus $1,681 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 68% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.