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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,069 in Zahlah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,668 in Zahlah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,266 in Zahlah, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% cheaper than Zahlah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Zahlah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zahlah 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$10.84 LBP 969.9K

-45.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$60.4 LBP 5.4M

-45.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.95 LBP 712.0K

-9.43%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.26 LBP 292.1K

-47.85%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.59 LBP 142.1K

-30.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.86 LBP 77.2K

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.55 LBP 317.6K

-52.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.03 LBP 182.1K

52.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.84 LBP 75.4K

48.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.78 LBP 159.3K

-21.91%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.22 LBP 288.3K

-29.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

-62.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$9.73 LBP 870.6K

-39.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.35 LBP 1.0M

-22.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.81 LBP 162.1K

23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.51 LBP 135.6K

-28.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.09 LBP 98.0K

40.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

31.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.95 LBP 85.5K

18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.01 LBP 90.1K

10.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

4.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.52 LBP 46.4K

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.57 LBP 230.2K

-9.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.20 LBP 1.0M

-0.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.24 LBP 110.9K

-4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.12 LBP 189.7K

11.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$5.03 LBP 450.1K

-71.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.22 LBP 108.9K

56.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

-59.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.94 LBP 83.7K

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-48.47%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

-2.50%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$217 LBP 19.4M

-61.26%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$37.65 LBP 3.4M

-74.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$37.82 LBP 3.4M

-36.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$8.08 LBP 723.4K

-51.49%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$296 LBP 26.5M

3.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,467 LBP 399.8M

32.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

-18.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$44.79 LBP 4.0M

-28.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$125 LBP 11.2M

-20.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$92.8 LBP 8.3M

15.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$199 LBP 17.8M

84.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$401 LBP 35.9M

78.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Zahlah: April 25, 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 $231 – 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 3%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,604 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 22% 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 $1,034, than in Zahlah at $1,069. 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.