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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,085 in Zahlah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,703 in Zahlah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,320 in Zahlah, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Zahlah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Zahlah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Zahlah 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.89 LBP 974.2K

-45.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$60.3 LBP 5.4M

-44.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.08 LBP 723.4K

-10.52%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.38 LBP 302.6K

-51.78%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.60 LBP 143.2K

-31.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.92 LBP 82.0K

-20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.40 LBP 304.6K

-48.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.03 LBP 181.6K

59.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.86 LBP 76.6K

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.83 LBP 163.4K

-27.87%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.10 LBP 277.1K

-26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.17 LBP 1.0M

-61.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$9.69 LBP 867.0K

-39.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.29 LBP 1.0M

-23.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.75 LBP 156.6K

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.46 LBP 131.1K

-26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.10 LBP 98.7K

38.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.04 LBP 93.5K

36.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.93 LBP 83.4K

25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.99 LBP 89.0K

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.83 LBP 74.0K

7.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.55 LBP 49.6K

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.54 LBP 227.0K

-11.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$9.85 LBP 881.5K

12.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

-8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.23 LBP 200.0K

6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$4.99 LBP 446.5K

-71.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.24 LBP 110.8K

53.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$20.16 LBP 1.8M

-61.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.88 LBP 79.1K

14.77%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$35.1K LBP 3.1B

-49.87%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

-3.70%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$213 LBP 19.0M

-60.67%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$38.04 LBP 3.4M

-75.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$37.87 LBP 3.4M

-36.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.97 LBP 713.0K

-48.56%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$302 LBP 27.0M

3.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,371 LBP 391.2M

37.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$70.9 LBP 6.3M

-18.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$44.76 LBP 4.0M

-27.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$125 LBP 11.1M

-20.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$95.3 LBP 8.5M

13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$197 LBP 17.6M

92.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$403 LBP 36.1M

79.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Zahlah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $60.0 in Zahlah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $226 – 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 7%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,628 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 $60.0 in Zahlah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $1,017, than in Zahlah at $1,085. 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.