Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zagazig

For one person, living is cheaper in Zagazig: $359 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Zagazig, Egypt
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Zagazig
🇪🇬 Egypt
$359
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Zagazig

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Zagazig actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $359 in Zagazig, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Zagazig $359

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $599 in Zagazig, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Zagazig $599

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $838 in Zagazig, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Zagazig $838

Medellin costs about 352% more than Zagazig, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Zagazig is 73% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Zagazig
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.1K
$3.65 E£202
127.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 147.5K
$14.80 E£818
216.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.1K
$4.96 E£274
86.29%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,597
$0.93 E£51.1
227.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$0.27 E£14.84
566.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,346
$0.14 E£7.80
885.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.2K
$1.46 E£80.7
121.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.5K
$2.21 E£122
151.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Zagazig
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,721
$0.75 E£41.18
100.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,446
$0.29 E£16.03
717.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,333
$0.59 E£32.47
188.14%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,302
$1.17 E£64.6
152.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.1K
$3.77 E£208
171.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.6K
$3.96 E£219
145.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 43.7K
$7.58 E£419
83.38%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.0K
$1.33 E£73.7
210.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,799
$0.73 E£40.28
109.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 6,994
$0.38 E£21.16
484.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,135
$0.23 E£12.48
886.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,259
$0.38 E£20.99
423.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,242
$0.35 E£19.44
377.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,711
$0.08 E£4.26
1375.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,887
$0.23 E£12.73
439.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.2K
$1.94 E£107
99.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.3K
$7.51 E£415
83.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,213
$1.55 E£85.6
7.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,553
$2.03 E£112
18.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Zagazig
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$0.11 E£6.05
1027.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 245.9K
$5.41 E£299
1345.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,011
$0.21 E£11.86
509.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,747
$0.18 E£9.78
1094.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.3K
$1.45 E£80.2
477.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,252
$0.41 E£22.62
229.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 109.3M
$33.7K E£1.9M
3.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$25.7K E£1.4M
34.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Zagazig
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 524.1K
$14.13 E£780
1079.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 42.8K
$4.84 E£267
181.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 91.6K
$10.27 E£568
183.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Zagazig
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 141.8K
$9.84 E£543
358.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 21.9K
$1.89 E£105
268.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Zagazig
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$118 E£6,500
571.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.4M
$3,513 E£194.1K
157.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Zagazig
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 276.1K
$18.90 E£1,044
364.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 182.9K
$48.48 E£2,679
19.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 437.1K
$111 E£6,140
25.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 310.9K
$16.86 E£932
486.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Zagazig
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.2M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 1.9M
$36.54 E£2,019
1595.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 5.9M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$93.5 E£5,164
977.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$283 E£15.6K
501.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Zagazig
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$153 E£8,447
333.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
10
9.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Zagazig: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Zagazig
$37 94.1% $583
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Zagazig
$117 60.8% $181
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Zagazig
$29 86% $180
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Zagazig
$88 49.1% $85
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Zagazig
$69 59.9% $102
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Zagazig
$7 92.7% $88
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Zagazig
$14 76.9% $45

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Medellin are about 4.3 times higher, 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 $47 in Medellin versus $15 in Zagazig. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $117 – making Zagazig the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇪🇬 Zagazig
🕒 Local time
01:58 1:58 AM
09:58 9:58 AM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
285,097
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 3,145 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,528 COP (10,000 COP = 2.83 EUR).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 55.25 EGP (100 EGP = 1.81 USD). 1 EUR = 61.99 EGP (100 EGP = 1.61 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Zagazig 11,270 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Zagazig

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Zagazig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zagazig cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 352%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $539 in Zagazig. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Zagazig?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $15 in Zagazig. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Zagazig?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,625 in Medellin and $359 in Zagazig. That’s a gap of about 352%.
Is $800 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Zagazig?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Zagazig, where all-in costs run around $359, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Zagazig it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Zagazig?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $359 in Zagazig to $1,625 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Zagazig. 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.

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