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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $426 in Zawiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $654 in Zawiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $881 in Zawiya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 285% more than Zawiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Zawiya is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$2.30 LYD 14.53

249.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$15.04 LYD 94.9

221.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$2.54 LYD 16.00

270.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 LYD 3.06

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 LYD 3.90

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$0.42 LYD 2.63

600.00%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.42 LYD 2.64

342.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.09 LYD 0.57

1522.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.91 LYD 5.72

58.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.20 LYD 1.26

1100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.12 LYD 7.05

51.79%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.03 LYD 6.48

180.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$4.66 LYD 29.43

115.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.32 LYD 20.97

200.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$8.86 LYD 55.9

60.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.85 LYD 11.70

115.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.24 LYD 7.83

27.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$0.71 LYD 4.47

202.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.53 LYD 3.32

333.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.49 LYD 3.09

308.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.27 LYD 1.70

459.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.30 LYD 1.88

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.18 LYD 1.13

611.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 LYD 4.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 LYD 4.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 LYD 5.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$1.67 LYD 10.55

129.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.77 LYD 4.84

62.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$39.03 LYD 246

99.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.78 LYD 4.92

67.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.49 LYD 3.11

342.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$2.40 LYD 15.16

245.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.02 LYD 0.13

6700.00%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$15.6K LYD 98.8K

75.58%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$14.0K LYD 88.5K

160.53%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$93.3 LYD 589

80.82%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$5.67 LYD 35.81

139.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$12.23 LYD 77.2

131.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$17.20 LYD 109

165.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$3.92 LYD 24.75

339.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$3.85 LYD 24.32

72.73%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$52.7 LYD 332

1425.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$628 LYD 3,966

1362.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$21.22 LYD 134

311.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$17.59 LYD 111

237.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$27.97 LYD 177

396.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$31.76 LYD 200

221.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$91.1 LYD 575

1076.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$58.2 LYD 367

1022.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$171 LYD 1,082

1022.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$116 LYD 735

799.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$469 LYD 2,960

779.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$38.80 LYD 245

4274.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$255 LYD 1,611

156.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Zawiya: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $91.1 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 157% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Zawiya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $104 – 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 285%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $639 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $15.00 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $426 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 $426, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.