Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tripoli Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tripoli

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,073 in Tripoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,625 in Tripoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,176 in Tripoli, rent included.

Medellin costs about 57% more than Tripoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tripoli is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$5.14 LBP 460.0K

56.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$50.6 LBP 4.5M

-5.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.22 LBP 825.4K

7.27%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.08 LBP 365.5K

-23.28%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.52 LBP 136.2K

25.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.86 LBP 76.9K

75.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$5.11 LBP 457.0K

-38.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.93 LBP 441.5K

16.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.25 LBP 111.9K

15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.84 LBP 75.2K

196.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.52 LBP 136.2K

16.45%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.18 LBP 105.9K

150.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$13.26 LBP 1.2M

-24.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.34 LBP 567.7K

59.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.79 LBP 966.1K

32.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.11 LBP 278.5K

33.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.69 LBP 151.6K

-4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.68 LBP 150.2K

33.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.52 LBP 46.3K

332.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.62 LBP 55.5K

229.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.65 LBP 147.9K

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.90 LBP 80.7K

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.46 LBP 41.4K

184.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.02 LBP 270.0K

29.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.02 LBP 897.2K

39.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.34 LBP 119.6K

29.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.47 LBP 221.4K

16.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$5.10 LBP 456.3K

-74.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

121.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$20.21 LBP 1.8M

-56.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

31.73%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$54.5K LBP 4.9B

-48.93%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$32.3K LBP 2.9B

10.82%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$230 LBP 20.5M

-22.78%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$14.34 LBP 1.3M

-3.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$22.36 LBP 2.0M

32.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$39.80 LBP 3.6M

12.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$10.03 LBP 897.4K

-33.70%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$673 LBP 60.2M

20.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$3,414 LBP 305.5M

169.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$68.7 LBP 6.2M

30.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$50.1 LBP 4.5M

17.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$137 LBP 12.3M

0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$118 LBP 10.5M

-13.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$400 LBP 35.8M

165.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$199 LBP 17.8M

233.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$716 LBP 64.1M

163.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$348 LBP 31.1M

195.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,147 LBP 102.6M

264.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$853 LBP 76.3M

96.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$458 LBP 41.0M

47.91%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $400 in Tripoli. 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 48% 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 $51.0 in Tripoli. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $217 in Tripoli – so Tripoli 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 Tripoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 57%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,609 in Tripoli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tripoli, 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 $51.0 in Tripoli. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 Tripoli, where all-in costs run around $1,073, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Tripoli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tripoli – 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 Tripoli. 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.