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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $410 in Zawiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $688 in Zawiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $965 in Zawiya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 147% more than Zawiya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Zawiya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Zawiya 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.80 LYD 17.78

113.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$18.48 LYD 118

77.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.63 LYD 23.10

95.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.57 LYD 3.61

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.30

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$0.49 LYD 3.10

248.98%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.49 LYD 3.12

124.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.12 LYD 0.75

550.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.03 LYD 6.55

5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.23 LYD 1.46

447.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.24 LYD 7.86

11.29%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.23 LYD 7.85

78.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.02 LYD 31.94

-12.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.27 LYD 20.81

72.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.09 LYD 64.2

-11.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.06 LYD 13.11

13.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.27 LYD 8.09

-16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.83 LYD 5.25

80.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.55 LYD 3.52

150.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.58 LYD 3.66

98.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.31 LYD 1.97

274.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.38 LYD 2.43

134.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.17 LYD 1.07

394.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.75 LYD 4.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 LYD 4.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.84 LYD 11.73

23.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.93 LYD 5.92

-7.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$46.59 LYD 296

-11.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.96 LYD 6.11

53.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.89 LYD 5.67

120.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.74 LYD 17.42

182.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.03 LYD 0.18

3066.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$13.7K LYD 87.4K

31.91%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$16.2K LYD 103.1K

63.44%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$32.55 LYD 207

152.69%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$6.52 LYD 41.44

45.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$14.02 LYD 89.2

72.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$20.08 LYD 128

28.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$4.48 LYD 28.49

324.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.55 LYD 28.93

-13.63%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$53.1 LYD 337

483.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$908 LYD 5,772

557.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$21.60 LYD 137

171.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$34.94 LYD 222

-7.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$31.97 LYD 203

220.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$36.00 LYD 229

201.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$107 LYD 679

345.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$69.1 LYD 440

447.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$201 LYD 1,280

316.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$136 LYD 863

433.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$470 LYD 2,988

493.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$38.66 LYD 246

3033.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$260 LYD 1,653

96.92%

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 Zawiya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $107 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 97% 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: $188 vs $114 – 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 147%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $615 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $410 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 $410, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.