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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $325 in Zaltan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $542 in Zaltan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $758 in Zaltan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 211% more than Zaltan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Zaltan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Zaltan 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.52 LYD 28.71

32.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$18.20 LYD 116

80.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.75 LYD 23.81

89.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 LYD 4.26

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$0.51 LYD 3.26

235.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.48 LYD 3.07

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.10 LYD 0.63

680.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.99 LYD 6.30

10.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.21 LYD 1.33

500.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.23 LYD 7.82

12.20%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.44 LYD 9.15

52.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.79 LYD 30.41

-8.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.41 LYD 21.66

65.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$10.40 LYD 66.0

-14.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.11 LYD 13.38

10.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.34 LYD 8.49

-20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.82 LYD 5.22

82.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.57 LYD 3.59

142.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.70 LYD 4.45

64.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.58 LYD 3.66

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.38 LYD 2.43

134.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.22 LYD 1.40

281.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 LYD 7.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.30

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.81 LYD 11.51

25.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.96 LYD 6.09

53.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.91 LYD 5.79

115.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.49 LYD 28.52

72.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.03 LYD 0.18

3066.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$14.0K LYD 88.7K

29.73%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$16.0K LYD 101.8K

65.14%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$32.23 LYD 205

155.20%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.44 LYD 53.6

12.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$23.26 LYD 148

4.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.67 LYD 29.68

-15.85%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$51.6 LYD 327

500.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$924 LYD 5,869

545.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$21.74 LYD 138

169.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$35.95 LYD 228

-10.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$49.34 LYD 313

107.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$55.9 LYD 355

94.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zaltan: May 31, 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: $188 vs $117 – 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 211%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $488 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 61% 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 $325, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.