Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zatec Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zatec

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,275 in Zatec, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,032 in Zatec, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,790 in Zatec, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Zatec, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Zatec is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$7.31 Kč 152

9.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$19.30 Kč 401

150.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$9.37 Kč 195

4.27%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$3.04 Kč 63.2

-4.28%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.73 Kč 15.21

165.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.97 Kč 20.17

56.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$2.42 Kč 50.2

27.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$3.16 Kč 65.7

81.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$0.89 Kč 18.55

52.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$1.46 Kč 30.35

63.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$2.45 Kč 50.9

-30.61%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.61 Kč 54.3

9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$6.10 Kč 127

62.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$5.65 Kč 117

90.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$7.06 Kč 147

108.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.32 Kč 27.48

209.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.66 Kč 34.48

-5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$2.25 Kč 46.72

-5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$3.51 Kč 73.0

-37.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.99 Kč 20.65

107.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.10 Kč 22.82

36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.68 Kč 34.86

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.55 Kč 11.41

110.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.41 Kč 133

-39.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$5.67 Kč 118

154.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$0.93 Kč 19.25

69.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$1.74 Kč 36.07

62.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.32 Kč 6.73

265.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$27.20 Kč 565

185.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$2.93 Kč 60.9

-56.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$1.97 Kč 40.87

6.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$17.35 Kč 361

-50.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.89 Kč 39.31

-31.22%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$32.8K Kč 681.1K

-15.60%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$30.7K Kč 638.9K

15.52%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$312 Kč 6,492

-43.63%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$23.42 Kč 487

-42.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$19.60 Kč 407

52.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$65.0 Kč 1,351

-31.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$20.06 Kč 417

-14.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$13.72 Kč 285

-54.81%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$766 Kč 15.9K

3.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$12.1K Kč 252.2K

-25.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$94.2 Kč 1,958

-9.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$39.63 Kč 824

47.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$48.61 Kč 1,010

180.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$127 Kč 2,644

-18.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$377 Kč 7,828

181.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$345 Kč 7,178

96.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,090 Kč 22.7K

84.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,003 Kč 20.9K

16.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$5,182 Kč 107.7K

-20.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$4,180 Kč 86.9K

-59.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,190 Kč 24.7K

-44.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.64

135.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Zatec: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $377 in Zatec. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 79% higher in Zatec, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Zatec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $193 – making Zatec 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 Zatec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 35%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,913 in Zatec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zatec, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Zatec. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,275 in Zatec. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zatec, where all-in costs run around $1,275, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Zatec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zatec – 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 Zatec. 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.