Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zgharta Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zgharta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $905 in Zgharta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,431 in Zgharta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,957 in Zgharta, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than Zgharta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Zgharta are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zgharta 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$10.97 LBP 981.7K

-46.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$61.1 LBP 5.5M

-46.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.96 LBP 712.0K

-9.55%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.43 LBP 306.9K

-50.44%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.59 LBP 142.6K

-30.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.92 LBP 82.5K

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.60 LBP 321.9K

-53.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.90 LBP 438.8K

-36.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.70 LBP 152.0K

-37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.78 LBP 70.1K

60.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.74 LBP 156.0K

-20.11%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.12 LBP 278.8K

-27.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.14 LBP 996.8K

-61.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$9.36 LBP 837.7K

-37.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

-22.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

25.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.53 LBP 137.0K

-29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.09 LBP 97.8K

40.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.09 LBP 97.9K

25.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.02 LBP 91.1K

10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.04 LBP 93.2K

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.86 LBP 77.3K

-1.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.52 LBP 46.3K

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.44 LBP 218.7K

-4.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.84 LBP 970.1K

2.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.27 LBP 114.1K

-6.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.15 LBP 192.0K

10.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$5.02 LBP 449.2K

-71.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.28 LBP 114.4K

49.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$19.70 LBP 1.8M

-59.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.87 LBP 78.3K

8.05%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$35.3K LBP 3.2B

-49.17%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.8K LBP 2.5B

-3.74%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$212 LBP 19.0M

-60.37%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$37.94 LBP 3.4M

-74.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$37.69 LBP 3.4M

-35.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.91 LBP 708.0K

-50.44%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$302 LBP 27.0M

1.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,479 LBP 400.9M

32.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$70.9 LBP 6.3M

-18.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$44.38 LBP 4.0M

-28.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$122 LBP 10.9M

-18.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$92.8 LBP 8.3M

15.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.16

20.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $61.0 in Zgharta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $234 – 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 Zgharta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,357 in Zgharta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $61.0 in Zgharta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zgharta, where all-in costs run around $905, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Zgharta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zgharta – 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 Zgharta. 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.