Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zepce Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zepce

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,008 in Zepce, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,530 in Zepce, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,053 in Zepce, rent included.

Medellin and Zepce have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Medellin and Zepce are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Zepce 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.64 BAM 14.51

-30.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$41.42 BAM 69.6

-20.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.03 BAM 15.17

-21.48%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.57 BAM 2.64

8.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.94 BAM 3.25

-43.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.15 BAM 1.94

-32.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.10 BAM 3.53

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.78 BAM 4.66

10.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.34 BAM 2.26

-18.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.27 BAM 2.14

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.56 BAM 2.63

-11.54%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.00 BAM 5.04

-27.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.35 BAM 15.72

-52.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.56 BAM 14.39

-34.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$12.10 BAM 20.33

-26.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.43 BAM 2.40

63.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.63 BAM 2.74

-34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.94 BAM 3.26

-22.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.02 BAM 3.39

-31.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.20 BAM 2.02

-4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.27 BAM 2.13

-8.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.22 BAM 2.05

-27.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.77 BAM 1.29

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.77 BAM 6.33

-39.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.24 BAM 13.85

29.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.71 BAM 1.19

69.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.14 BAM 1.91

116.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.76 BAM 2.95

-51.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$35.83 BAM 60.2

15.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.50 BAM 2.52

-2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.15 BAM 1.94

70.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.77 BAM 14.74

-11.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.47 BAM 2.47

-35.37%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$28.7K BAM 48.2K

-36.80%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$26.4K BAM 44.3K

0.43%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$169 BAM 284

-51.34%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$18.80 BAM 31.59

-49.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$23.60 BAM 39.66

2.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$29.62 BAM 49.76

-12.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$11.09 BAM 18.64

71.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.90 BAM 4.87

35.52%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$240 BAM 404

28.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,688 BAM 6,196

61.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$74.5 BAM 125

-21.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$37.25 BAM 62.6

-13.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$89.6 BAM 151

14.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$123 BAM 206

-11.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$259 BAM 436

83.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$166 BAM 280

127.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$361 BAM 607

132.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$320 BAM 538

126.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,375 BAM 3,991

17.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,822 BAM 3,061

-33.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.02

167.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zepce: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $259 in Zepce. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $41.00 in Zepce. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $229 – making Medellin 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 Zepce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,512 in Zepce. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zepce, 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 $41.00 in Zepce. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Zepce. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zepce, where all-in costs run around $1,008, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Zepce it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zepce – 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 Zepce. 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.