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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $505 in Tripoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $810 in Tripoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,114 in Tripoli, rent included.

Medellin costs about 104% more than Tripoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Tripoli are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tripoli 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.49 LYD 28.62

37.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.69 LYD 119

74.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.63 LYD 23.13

102.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.22

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.48 LYD 3.07

258.33%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.45 LYD 2.89

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.09 LYD 0.60

755.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.03 LYD 6.58

1.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.23 LYD 1.47

465.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.18 LYD 7.49

18.64%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.45 LYD 9.24

48.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.81 LYD 30.63

-8.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.34 LYD 21.27

76.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.43 LYD 66.5

-17.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.19 LYD 13.93

4.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.34 LYD 8.55

-17.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.76 LYD 4.82

101.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.52 LYD 3.29

159.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.69 LYD 4.42

63.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.53 LYD 3.37

113.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.39 LYD 2.47

117.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.20 LYD 1.27

355.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.22 LYD 7.74

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.21

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.86 LYD 11.86

25.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.27 LYD 1.71

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$21.56 LYD 137

88.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.95 LYD 6.04

49.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.85 LYD 5.43

125.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.56 LYD 29.05

67.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.03 LYD 0.20

3200.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

31.71%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$16.4K LYD 104.4K

62.50%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$32.67 LYD 208

147.35%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.27 LYD 52.7

20.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$22.56 LYD 144

7.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$27.55 LYD 176

-8.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$11.74 LYD 74.8

63.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.49 LYD 28.62

-11.36%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$52.4 LYD 334

482.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$932 LYD 5,939

549.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$21.40 LYD 136

171.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.81 LYD 228

-10.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$50.6 LYD 323

98.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$55.8 LYD 355

93.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$212 LYD 1,350

124.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$120 LYD 764

213.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$391 LYD 2,488

116.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$218 LYD 1,386

235.59%

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

$243 LYD 1,548

153.86%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $212 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 154% 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 $19.00 in Tripoli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $117 – 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 104%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $758 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 $19.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $505 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 $505, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.