Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zabol Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zabol

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $477 in Zabol, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $764 in Zabol, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,052 in Zabol, rent included.

Medellin costs about 110% more than Zabol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Zabol are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Zabol 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.8K

$2.05 $2.05

275.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.28 COP 139.8K

$15.85 $15.85

173.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

$3.45 $3.45

175.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 $1.11

Cappuccino

$2.81 COP 9,077

$0.52 $0.52

440.38%

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

$1.84 COP 5,930

$0.50 $0.50

268.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,868

$1.10 $1.10

37.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 COP 9,964

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 COP 17.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,343

$0.66 $0.66

103.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 COP 7,448

$0.44 $0.44

425.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,747

$1.91 $1.91

-23.04%

Eggs

$2.69 COP 8,683

$0.99 $0.99

171.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 COP 28.7K

$3.01 $3.01

194.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 COP 34.4K

$3.05 $3.05

248.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 COP 46.8K

$11.06 $11.06

30.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.1K

$0.90 $0.90

316.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,480

$1.34 $1.34

3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,179

$0.77 $0.77

188.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 COP 6,398

$0.53 $0.53

273.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,638

$0.62 $0.62

230.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,169

$0.50 $0.50

220.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,366

$0.49 $0.49

112.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 COP 4,099

$0.18 $0.18

605.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.65 $0.65

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 $0.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 COP 12.1K

$2.85 $2.85

31.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 COP 42.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,094

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 COP 9,754

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$0.19 $0.19

515.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 COP 245.4K

$5.79 $5.79

1211.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,856

$0.40 $0.40

275.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,739

$0.28 $0.28

646.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 COP 26.2K

$1.98 $1.98

309.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 4,079

$0.09 $0.09

1300.00%

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

$26.9K COP 86.9M

$52.8K $52.8K

-49.04%

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

$34.9K COP 112.7M

$46.1K $46.1K

-24.26%

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

$148 COP 479.2K

$12.74 $12.74

1064.13%

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

$13.03 COP 42.1K

$1.79 $1.79

627.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.48 COP 101.7K

$4.19 $4.19

651.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 COP 147.0K

$17.75 $17.75

156.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 COP 55.0K

$11.93 $11.93

42.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 COP 20.4K

$1.88 $1.88

236.17%

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

$837 COP 2.7M

$115 $115

628.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,663 COP 28.0M

$807 $807

973.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 286.9K

$24.17 $24.17

267.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 COP 177.5K

$24.85 $24.85

121.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 COP 434.4K

$94.1 $94.1

42.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.0K

$58.4 $58.4

85.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 COP 3.0M

$290 $290

224.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.1M

$193 $193

235.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 COP 6.3M

$543 $543

257.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 COP 3.6M

$319 $319

253.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,638 COP 11.8M

$1,127 $1,127

222.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 COP 5.0M

$617 $617

151.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

$147 $147

326.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

-54.65%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Last update for Zabol: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $290 in Zabol. 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 324% 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 $16.00 in Zabol. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $105 – making Zabol 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 Zabol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 110%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $715 in Zabol. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zabol, 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 $16.00 in Zabol. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $477 in Zabol. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zabol, where all-in costs run around $477, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Zabol it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zabol – 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 Zabol. 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.