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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,023 in Sidon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,745 in Sidon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,468 in Sidon, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than Sidon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.96 LBP 980.9K

-45.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$60.6 LBP 5.4M

-45.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.09 LBP 723.9K

-12.36%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.28 LBP 293.3K

-47.87%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.66 LBP 148.2K

-33.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.94 LBP 84.5K

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.57 LBP 319.5K

-52.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$5.13 LBP 459.0K

-40.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.79 LBP 160.0K

-39.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.81 LBP 72.1K

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.84 LBP 164.5K

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.19 LBP 285.9K

-31.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.11 LBP 994.0K

-60.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$9.57 LBP 856.3K

-41.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$11.28 LBP 1.0M

-21.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

34.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.53 LBP 136.8K

-30.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.14 LBP 101.7K

31.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.06 LBP 94.5K

30.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.01 LBP 90.6K

13.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

17.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.57 LBP 50.7K

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.46 LBP 220.0K

-7.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$9.97 LBP 892.2K

6.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.23 LBP 110.5K

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.20 LBP 196.8K

12.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$2.02 LBP 180.9K

-57.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$5.05 LBP 451.6K

-70.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.24 LBP 110.7K

58.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$20.16 LBP 1.8M

-61.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.96 LBP 86.1K

-1.04%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

-47.62%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$27.8K LBP 2.5B

-4.63%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$215 LBP 19.2M

-61.66%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$37.11 LBP 3.3M

-74.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$37.07 LBP 3.3M

-34.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$32.44 LBP 2.9M

-20.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$9.81 LBP 878.0K

93.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.13 LBP 548.9K

-35.89%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$300 LBP 26.9M

2.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,393 LBP 393.2M

35.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$71.7 LBP 6.4M

-18.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$44.31 LBP 4.0M

-26.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$122 LBP 10.9M

-15.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$94.5 LBP 8.5M

14.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$246 LBP 22.0M

93.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$98.1 LBP 8.8M

286.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$598 LBP 53.6M

40.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$397 LBP 35.5M

82.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,019 LBP 91.2M

173.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$866 LBP 77.5M

39.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sidon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $246 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: $188 vs $235 – 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 – Sidon 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,534 in Sidon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Sidon, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Sidon at $1,023. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sidon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sidon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.