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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,139 in Zepce, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,709 in Zepce, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,279 in Zepce, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Zepce, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Zepce is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.9K

$9.96 BAM 16.73

-19.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.7K

$52.9 BAM 88.9

-8.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.2K

$11.23 BAM 18.87

-16.12%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,105

$1.92 BAM 3.23

53.13%

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

$1.86 COP 5,776

$2.58 BAM 4.33

-27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,511

$1.67 BAM 2.81

-12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,953

$2.56 BAM 4.29

25.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$3.59 BAM 6.03

59.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,460

$1.49 BAM 2.50

-3.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,442

$1.26 BAM 2.12

90.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,265

$1.68 BAM 2.82

1.19%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,960

$2.92 BAM 4.91

-1.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$10.04 BAM 16.86

0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.9K

$8.82 BAM 14.82

13.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.0K

$14.33 BAM 24.08

-0.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.91 BAM 3.20

108.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,913

$1.99 BAM 3.34

-20.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,671

$2.30 BAM 3.87

-6.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,129

$1.75 BAM 2.93

31.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,213

$1.05 BAM 1.77

90.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,679

$1.41 BAM 2.37

7.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,727

$1.17 BAM 1.97

2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,974

$0.88 BAM 1.47

45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$3.94 BAM 6.62

-2.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.4K

$8.21 BAM 13.78

70.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,294

$1.04 BAM 1.75

64.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,500

$1.40 BAM 2.36

95.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,861

$1.35 BAM 2.26

-7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,045

$1.80 BAM 3.02

-27.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,728

$1.17 BAM 1.96

85.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.7K

$18.02 BAM 30.27

-54.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,202

$1.68 BAM 2.82

-19.05%

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

$27.5K COP 85.2M

$31.0K BAM 52.1K

-11.43%

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

$36.5K COP 113.2M

$22.0K BAM 36.9K

66.19%

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

$169 COP 523.0K

$165 BAM 276

2.55%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$16.96 BAM 28.49

-19.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.8K

$37.72 BAM 63.4

-24.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.7K

$34.03 BAM 57.2

34.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.4K

$11.97 BAM 20.11

43.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$3.00 BAM 5.03

121.67%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$299 BAM 503

168.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

$3,694 BAM 6,204

148.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 270.8K

$84.7 BAM 142

3.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.0K

$37.39 BAM 62.8

58.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 430.5K

$111 BAM 187

24.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.3K

$147 BAM 247

-30.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$361 BAM 607

196.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$258 BAM 434

152.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$537 BAM 902

258.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$379 BAM 636

176.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

$2,538 BAM 4,263

62.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$1,846 BAM 3,101

-8.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.44

146.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Zepce: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $361 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $53.0 in Zepce. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $248 in Zepce – so Zepce 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 Zepce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,709 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $53.0 in Zepce. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zepce, where all-in costs run around $1,139, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.