Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zawiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zawiya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $422 in Zawiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $694 in Zawiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $967 in Zawiya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 144% more than Zawiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Zawiya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zawiya 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.73 LYD 17.41

125.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.45 LYD 118

76.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.75 LYD 23.89

95.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.48 LYD 3.03

258.33%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.46 LYD 2.91

128.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.11 LYD 0.67

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

$1.03 LYD 6.54

1.94%

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 7.49

18.64%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.17 LYD 7.48

84.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.99 LYD 31.76

-12.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.30 LYD 21.04

78.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.39 LYD 66.2

-16.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.06 LYD 13.11

10.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.33 LYD 8.49

-16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.75 LYD 4.81

104.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.53 LYD 3.36

154.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.62 LYD 3.94

82.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.33 LYD 2.12

242.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.38 LYD 2.43

123.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.17 LYD 1.10

435.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 LYD 4.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.85 LYD 11.76

26.49%

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

$0.91 LYD 5.78

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$46.79 LYD 298

-13.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.90 LYD 5.74

57.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.89 LYD 5.66

115.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.77 LYD 17.62

176.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.03 LYD 0.18

3200.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

31.71%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$16.4K LYD 104.7K

62.03%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$32.61 LYD 208

147.81%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$6.29 LYD 40.07

58.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$14.17 LYD 90.2

70.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$20.19 LYD 129

24.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.68 LYD 29.82

309.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.50 LYD 28.69

-11.56%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$52.3 LYD 333

483.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$908 LYD 5,786

567.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$21.44 LYD 137

171.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.92 LYD 222

-7.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$32.12 LYD 205

213.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$36.80 LYD 234

192.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$106 LYD 674

350.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$69.9 LYD 445

438.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$199 LYD 1,268

324.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$136 LYD 864

438.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$467 LYD 2,975

588.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$38.16 LYD 243

3496.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$253 LYD 1,613

143.66%

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 Zawiya: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $106 in Zawiya. 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 144% higher in Medellin, 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 $18.00 in Zawiya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $115 – making Zawiya 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 Zawiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 144%, 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 $632 in Zawiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zawiya, 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 $18.00 in Zawiya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $422 in Zawiya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zawiya, where all-in costs run around $422, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Zawiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zawiya – 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 Zawiya. 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.