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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $530 in Tripoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $804 in Tripoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,079 in Tripoli, rent included.

Medellin costs about 224% more than Tripoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Tripoli is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$3.88 LYD 24.59

106.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$14.99 LYD 94.9

221.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$2.49 LYD 15.77

292.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 LYD 3.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 LYD 3.82

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$0.44 LYD 2.76

561.36%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.42 LYD 2.65

361.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.09 LYD 0.59

1588.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$0.94 LYD 5.96

44.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.20 LYD 1.27

1095.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.12 LYD 7.10

51.79%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$1.33 LYD 8.44

115.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$5.03 LYD 31.87

97.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$3.27 LYD 20.73

229.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$9.86 LYD 62.4

49.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.32 LYD 14.70

76.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.51 LYD 9.55

3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$0.71 LYD 4.47

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$0.55 LYD 3.50

301.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.71 LYD 4.47

188.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.46 LYD 2.90

226.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.43 LYD 2.70

176.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.19 LYD 1.17

510.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 LYD 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 LYD 6.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 LYD 5.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.00 LYD 12.64

95.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.32 LYD 2.04

265.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$0.80 LYD 5.08

60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.45 LYD 2.86

364.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.02 LYD 0.11

6400.00%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$24.0K LYD 152.0K

15.24%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$14.1K LYD 89.2K

152.05%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$96.2 LYD 609

83.04%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$5.63 LYD 35.65

137.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$27.89 LYD 177

7.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$23.88 LYD 151

87.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$2.39 LYD 15.16

613.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$53.6 LYD 339

1380.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$623 LYD 3,945

1347.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$20.54 LYD 130

316.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$17.80 LYD 113

228.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$55.7 LYD 353

144.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$67.3 LYD 426

53.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$361 LYD 2,288

193.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$145 LYD 919

368.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$602 LYD 3,810

234.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$262 LYD 1,661

345.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$250 LYD 1,584

165.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $361 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 166% 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 $15.00 in Tripoli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $115 – 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 224%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $794 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 $15.00 in Tripoli. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 163% 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 $530, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.