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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,019 in Sidon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,708 in Sidon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,396 in Sidon, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1% more than Sidon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sidon are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sidon 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$10.94 LBP 978.9K

-43.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$60.6 LBP 5.4M

-46.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.91 LBP 708.3K

-7.21%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.41 LBP 305.5K

-49.56%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.60 LBP 142.9K

-34.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.89 LBP 79.5K

-13.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$3.57 LBP 319.1K

-52.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.07 LBP 453.8K

-37.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.70 LBP 152.0K

-38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.80 LBP 71.9K

62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.82 LBP 162.8K

-23.08%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$3.16 LBP 283.0K

-31.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.08 LBP 991.3K

-60.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$9.35 LBP 837.2K

-37.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.65 LBP 1.0M

-25.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.74 LBP 155.6K

31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.50 LBP 134.6K

-26.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.13 LBP 101.4K

35.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.06 LBP 94.8K

27.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.00 LBP 89.5K

13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.03 LBP 92.3K

9.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.82 LBP 73.3K

3.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.56 LBP 49.7K

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.51 LBP 224.7K

-6.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.81 LBP 878.4K

26.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.29 LBP 115.4K

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.13 LBP 190.4K

16.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$2.02 LBP 180.8K

-58.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.97 LBP 444.5K

-71.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.28 LBP 114.7K

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$20.17 LBP 1.8M

-62.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.95 LBP 85.0K

4.21%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.6K LBP 3.2B

-49.38%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.2K LBP 2.5B

-5.69%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$214 LBP 19.2M

-62.27%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$38.03 LBP 3.4M

-73.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$37.53 LBP 3.4M

-35.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$33.48 LBP 3.0M

-25.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$9.97 LBP 892.6K

92.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.18 LBP 552.8K

-35.60%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$306 LBP 27.4M

-0.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,454 LBP 398.6M

36.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

-18.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$44.83 LBP 4.0M

-28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$121 LBP 10.9M

-17.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$96.2 LBP 8.6M

12.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$253 LBP 22.6M

88.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$102 LBP 9.1M

269.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$596 LBP 53.4M

41.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$394 LBP 35.2M

85.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sidon: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $253 in Sidon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $61.0 in Sidon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $233 – making Medellin 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 Sidon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,529 in Sidon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidon, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $61.0 in Sidon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sidon, where all-in costs run around $1,019, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.