😐A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $359 in Zaqatala, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $599 in Zaqatala, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $839 in Zaqatala, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 188% more than Zaqatala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Medellin and Zaqatala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin23% lower, Zaqatala73% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Zaqatala
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$5.30₼9.01
11.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$20.91₼35.55
56.62%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$7.22₼12.28
-0.28%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$2.39₼4.06
-28.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$0.60₼1.02
83.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.55₼0.93
30.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$1.78₼3.02
-6.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$2.90₼4.92
6.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Zaqatala
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$0.99₼1.68
7.07%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$0.42₼0.72
197.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$2.18₼3.71
-36.24%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$1.40₼2.38
61.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$3.51₼5.97
23.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$2.36₼4.01
147.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$8.45₼14.37
4.50%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$0.73₼1.23
206.85%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$1.20₼2.03
-10.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$0.61₼1.04
150.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$0.73₼1.23
87.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$0.28₼0.47
303.57%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$0.40₼0.68
180.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$0.91₼1.55
-6.59%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.60₼1.02
51.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$1.73₼2.94
34.68%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$9.06₼15.40
22.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$1.17₼1.99
1.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$2.03₼3.45
16.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Zaqatala
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.20₼0.33
295.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
-
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$0.56₼0.96
67.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Zaqatala
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
-
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Zaqatala
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$34.12₼58.0
-24.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Zaqatala
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Zaqatala
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
-
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
-
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Zaqatala
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$118₼201
312.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$83.9₼143
338.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$233₼396
254.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$149₼254
379.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Zaqatala
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
0
-
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Zaqatala: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $118 in Zaqatala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Zaqatala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $134 – making Zaqatala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs Zaqatala: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Zaqatala cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 188%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $538 in Zaqatala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Zaqatala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Zaqatala?
Groceries cost about 42% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Zaqatala?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $21.00 in Zaqatala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Medellin or Zaqatala?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zaqatala, where all-in costs run around $359, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Zaqatala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Zaqatala more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Zaqatala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Zaqatala?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Zaqatala. 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.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado