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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,282 in Zatec, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,963 in Zatec, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,644 in Zatec, rent included.

Medellin is about 21% cheaper than Zatec, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Zatec are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Zatec 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.91 Kč 144

-13.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$18.54 Kč 387

77.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.25 Kč 193

-23.35%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.00 Kč 62.5

-43.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.73 Kč 15.20

50.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.97 Kč 20.24

-19.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.28 Kč 47.61

-26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.50 Kč 52.0

22.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.90 Kč 18.81

21.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.42 Kč 29.58

-11.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.11 Kč 43.89

-34.60%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.59 Kč 53.9

-15.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.82 Kč 121

-24.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.47 Kč 114

2.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$6.82 Kč 142

30.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.34 Kč 27.97

74.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.60 Kč 33.45

-33.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.08 Kč 43.30

-27.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$4.02 Kč 83.8

-65.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.96 Kč 20.00

19.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.33 Kč 27.70

-12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.63 Kč 33.88

-45.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.52 Kč 10.75

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$6.18 Kč 129

-63.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.63 Kč 117

88.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.93 Kč 19.49

29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.87 Kč 39.05

32.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.35 Kč 7.19

145.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$25.83 Kč 539

60.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.85 Kč 59.5

-48.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.49 Kč 31.06

31.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$15.13 Kč 315

-48.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.75 Kč 36.39

-45.71%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$27.9K Kč 581.7K

-35.02%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$29.8K Kč 622.0K

-11.23%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$314 Kč 6,539

-73.78%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$25.02 Kč 522

-62.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$20.54 Kč 428

17.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$53.0 Kč 1,104

-51.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$17.03 Kč 355

11.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$11.48 Kč 239

-65.77%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$427 Kč 8,897

-27.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$14.5K Kč 302.4K

-58.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$87.3 Kč 1,820

-32.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$40.49 Kč 844

-20.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$45.98 Kč 959

123.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$113 Kč 2,352

-3.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$360 Kč 7,504

32.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$323 Kč 6,743

17.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,153 Kč 24.0K

-27.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$868 Kč 18.1K

-16.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$5,310 Kč 110.7K

-47.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,845 Kč 59.3K

-57.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,184 Kč 24.7K

-56.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.56

141.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zatec: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $360 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 131% higher in Zatec, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Zatec. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $190 in Zatec – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Zatec is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,923 in Zatec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $33.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,282 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Zatec at $1,282. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zatec 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, Zatec makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.