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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $319 in Sabratha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $542 in Sabratha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $764 in Sabratha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 217% more than Sabratha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sabratha are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sabratha 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.52 LYD 28.72

32.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$18.37 LYD 117

78.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.78 LYD 24.03

87.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.57 LYD 3.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.50

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$0.51 LYD 3.27

235.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.48 LYD 3.07

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.11 LYD 0.72

609.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.02 LYD 6.49

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.23 LYD 1.47

447.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.19 LYD 7.56

15.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.43 LYD 9.08

53.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.79 LYD 30.44

-8.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.23 LYD 20.52

74.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.38 LYD 66.0

-14.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.15 LYD 13.65

8.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.32 LYD 8.42

-19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.75 LYD 4.79

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.52 LYD 3.28

165.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.65 LYD 4.11

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.57 LYD 3.60

103.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.41 LYD 2.63

117.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.20 LYD 1.27

320.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 LYD 8.15

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.78 LYD 11.31

28.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.89 LYD 5.63

65.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.84 LYD 5.37

133.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.60 LYD 29.27

68.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.03 LYD 0.22

3066.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$13.7K LYD 86.9K

32.75%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$16.1K LYD 102.2K

64.83%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$32.60 LYD 207

152.30%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.35 LYD 53.1

13.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$22.95 LYD 146

5.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.63 LYD 29.47

-15.12%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$52.1 LYD 331

493.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$900 LYD 5,725

562.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$21.14 LYD 134

177.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$35.81 LYD 228

-9.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$49.79 LYD 317

106.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$56.8 LYD 361

90.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

17.5

-23.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sabratha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Sabratha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $116 – 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 217%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $479 in Sabratha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $18.00 in Sabratha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% 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 $319, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.