Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zahlah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zahlah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,095 in Zahlah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,704 in Zahlah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,313 in Zahlah, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Zahlah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Zahlah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Zahlah 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$11.02 LBP 986.1K

-46.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

-43.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.82 LBP 700.0K

-4.99%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.29 LBP 294.3K

-49.85%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.63 LBP 145.8K

-32.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.57 LBP 319.3K

-51.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.02 LBP 181.0K

57.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

8.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.84 LBP 75.3K

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

-24.18%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.06 LBP 274.1K

-28.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.24 LBP 1.0M

-60.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$9.51 LBP 851.2K

-39.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.55 LBP 1.0M

-22.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.72 LBP 154.1K

34.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.47 LBP 131.2K

-27.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

34.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.04 LBP 92.9K

30.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.01 LBP 90.0K

15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.81 LBP 72.3K

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.56 LBP 49.9K

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.57 LBP 229.9K

-13.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$9.91 LBP 887.3K

22.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

-6.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.22 LBP 198.9K

11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$5.09 LBP 455.2K

-72.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.22 LBP 109.6K

59.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$19.97 LBP 1.8M

-60.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.88 LBP 79.2K

12.50%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.7K LBP 3.1B

-49.26%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

-3.98%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$217 LBP 19.4M

-61.66%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$36.97 LBP 3.3M

-73.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$36.82 LBP 3.3M

-36.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$8.17 LBP 731.0K

-51.65%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$300 LBP 26.9M

5.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,530 LBP 405.4M

31.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$69.9 LBP 6.3M

-14.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$45.20 LBP 4.0M

-29.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$121 LBP 10.8M

-15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$95.0 LBP 8.5M

13.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$201 LBP 17.9M

86.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$393 LBP 35.2M

82.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.16

20.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Zahlah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $59.0 in Zahlah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $227 – making Medellin 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 Zahlah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zahlah is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,642 in Zahlah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $59.0 in Zahlah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Zahlah, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Zahlah at $1,095. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zahlah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zahlah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.