Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zaltan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zaltan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $319 in Zaltan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $542 in Zaltan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $764 in Zaltan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 223% more than Zaltan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Zaltan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zaltan 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.50 LYD 28.68

36.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.16 LYD 116

79.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.59 LYD 22.90

104.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.58 LYD 3.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.60

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.52 LYD 3.29

230.77%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.49 LYD 3.14

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.11 LYD 0.68

600.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.02 LYD 6.53

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.23 LYD 1.47

465.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.18 LYD 7.54

18.64%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.49 LYD 9.50

44.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.96 LYD 31.62

-11.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.39 LYD 21.60

73.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.42 LYD 66.4

-17.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.18 LYD 13.90

4.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.34 LYD 8.55

-17.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.83 LYD 5.28

84.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.53 LYD 3.37

154.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.69 LYD 4.41

63.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.52 LYD 3.34

117.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.39 LYD 2.47

117.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.20 LYD 1.27

355.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 LYD 8.19

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.33

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.80 LYD 11.48

30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.91 LYD 5.79

56.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.84 LYD 5.35

128.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.52 LYD 28.79

69.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.03 LYD 0.20

3200.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$13.5K LYD 86.3K

33.16%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$16.3K LYD 103.9K

63.22%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$31.89 LYD 203

153.40%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.35 LYD 53.2

19.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$23.22 LYD 148

4.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.68 LYD 29.79

-14.96%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$53.2 LYD 339

474.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$918 LYD 5,845

560.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$21.48 LYD 137

170.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.69 LYD 227

-9.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$51.0 LYD 325

97.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$55.6 LYD 354

93.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

17.5

-23.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zaltan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Zaltan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $118 – making Zaltan 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 Zaltan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 223%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $479 in Zaltan. 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 $18.00 in Zaltan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zaltan, where all-in costs run around $319, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Zaltan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zaltan – 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 Zaltan. 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.