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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $502 in Tripoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $794 in Tripoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,085 in Tripoli, rent included.

Medellin costs about 102% more than Tripoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Tripoli are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Tripoli 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.50 LYD 28.60

33.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$18.44 LYD 117

78.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.70 LYD 23.52

91.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.58 LYD 3.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.18

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$0.48 LYD 3.05

256.25%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.48 LYD 3.08

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.12 LYD 0.76

550.00%

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

$0.98 LYD 6.23

11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.21 LYD 1.33

500.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.23 LYD 7.85

12.20%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.45 LYD 9.25

51.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.87 LYD 30.94

-9.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.25 LYD 20.64

73.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.38 LYD 66.0

-14.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.19 LYD 13.92

6.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.28 LYD 8.17

-17.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.78 LYD 4.95

92.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.52 LYD 3.33

165.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.65 LYD 4.14

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.56 LYD 3.58

107.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.38 LYD 2.42

134.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.22 LYD 1.40

281.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 LYD 8.11

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.49

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.86 LYD 11.86

22.58%

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

$0.29 LYD 1.85

196.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$21.42 LYD 136

93.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.95 LYD 6.02

54.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.85 LYD 5.41

130.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.49 LYD 28.54

72.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.03 LYD 0.17

3066.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$13.9K LYD 88.2K

30.74%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$16.6K LYD 105.6K

59.55%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$31.84 LYD 202

158.32%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.02 LYD 51.0

18.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$22.67 LYD 144

6.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$28.49 LYD 181

-9.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$12.20 LYD 77.6

55.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.62 LYD 29.35

-14.94%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$52.4 LYD 333

491.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$914 LYD 5,812

552.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$21.51 LYD 137

172.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$35.82 LYD 228

-9.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$49.76 LYD 316

106.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$55.2 LYD 351

96.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$207 LYD 1,316

130.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$123 LYD 780

208.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$393 LYD 2,496

113.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$226 LYD 1,434

220.91%

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

$248 LYD 1,574

106.76%

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 Tripoli: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $207 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 107% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Tripoli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $116 – making Tripoli 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 Tripoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 102%, 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 $753 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $18.00 in Tripoli. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $502 in Tripoli. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tripoli, where all-in costs run around $502, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.