Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sidon Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sidon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,000 in Sidon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,584 in Sidon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,168 in Sidon, rent included.

Medellin costs about 64% more than Sidon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Sidon is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$12.11 LBP 1.1M

-33.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$64.3 LBP 5.8M

-24.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$9.96 LBP 891.8K

-5.42%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$4.52 LBP 404.6K

-34.96%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.31 LBP 206.4K

-19.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.88 LBP 78.9K

65.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$5.07 LBP 453.3K

-36.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.90 LBP 438.1K

16.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.93 LBP 172.3K

-25.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.90 LBP 80.1K

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$2.16 LBP 193.2K

-21.30%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.62 LBP 323.9K

-20.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$13.64 LBP 1.2M

-26.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$10.58 LBP 946.8K

-5.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$14.44 LBP 1.3M

-1.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.05 LBP 272.6K

30.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.70 LBP 152.3K

-7.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.66 LBP 148.7K

29.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.47 LBP 131.6K

56.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.36 LBP 122.1K

47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.63 LBP 146.2K

-7.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.16 LBP 104.1K

3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.68 LBP 61.1K

88.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.97 LBP 265.5K

29.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$9.83 LBP 879.8K

42.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.31 LBP 117.6K

30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.50 LBP 223.9K

9.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$4.88 LBP 436.7K

-73.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$2.28 LBP 203.8K

-4.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$22.14 LBP 2.0M

-62.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.05 LBP 93.9K

29.52%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$54.0K LBP 4.8B

-49.14%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$32.1K LBP 2.9B

13.78%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$229 LBP 20.5M

-26.40%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$23.89 LBP 2.1M

-43.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$38.37 LBP 3.4M

-26.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$10.02 LBP 896.8K

-33.63%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$688 LBP 61.6M

16.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$10.6K LBP 945.4M

-13.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$66.9 LBP 6.0M

30.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$48.65 LBP 4.4M

22.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$140 LBP 12.5M

-0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$121 LBP 10.8M

-15.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

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 7, 2026

Last update for Sidon: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $64.0 in Sidon. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $279 in Sidon – so Sidon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sidon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 64%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,500 in Sidon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $64.0 in Sidon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sidon, where all-in costs run around $1,000, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Sidon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sidon – 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 Sidon. 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.