Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sabratha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sabratha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $401 in Sabratha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $595 in Sabratha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $789 in Sabratha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 309% more than Sabratha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Sabratha is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.14 LYD 19.82

156.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$9.28 LYD 58.6

420.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$1.61 LYD 10.18

485.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.61 LYD 3.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.11

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$0.47 LYD 2.98

525.53%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.30 LYD 1.87

520.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.08 LYD 0.49

1725.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.94 LYD 5.94

53.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.22 LYD 1.39

990.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.13 LYD 7.14

50.44%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.35 LYD 8.49

114.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$4.98 LYD 31.44

102.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.26 LYD 20.55

205.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$9.59 LYD 60.6

48.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.00 LYD 12.63

99.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.55 LYD 9.80

1.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$0.77 LYD 4.83

179.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.51 LYD 3.24

350.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.46 LYD 2.89

334.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.32 LYD 2.05

371.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.32 LYD 2.03

275.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.15 LYD 0.92

753.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 LYD 11.65

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 LYD 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 LYD 5.03

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$1.85 LYD 11.67

107.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.82 LYD 5.20

52.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.81 LYD 5.10

61.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.30 LYD 1.89

623.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$0.82 LYD 5.20

910.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.02 LYD 0.14

6700.00%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$23.4K LYD 147.6K

17.45%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$14.2K LYD 89.6K

157.40%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$95.0 LYD 599

77.69%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$3.87 LYD 24.40

250.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$13.89 LYD 87.7

103.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$11.04 LYD 69.7

314.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$7.73 LYD 48.76

122.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$38.67 LYD 244

1977.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$607 LYD 3,832

1413.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$20.00 LYD 126

336.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$17.29 LYD 109

243.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$55.6 LYD 351

150.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$15.56 LYD 98.2

555.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$156 LYD 985

586.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$78.3 LYD 494

733.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$240 LYD 1,518

700.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$110 LYD 696

850.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$287 LYD 1,812

1336.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$186 LYD 1,175

811.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$188 LYD 1,189

247.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sabratha: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $156 in Sabratha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 248% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $9.00 in Sabratha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $112 – making Sabratha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sabratha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 309%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $601 in Sabratha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sabratha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $9.00 in Sabratha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 169% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sabratha, where all-in costs run around $401, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Sabratha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sabratha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sabratha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.