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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $986 in Zgharta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,591 in Zgharta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $2,196 in Zgharta, rent included.

Medellin costs about 71% more than Zgharta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Zgharta is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$12.04 LBP 1.1M

-34.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$64.1 LBP 5.7M

-30.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$9.83 LBP 879.9K

-5.49%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$4.43 LBP 396.1K

-34.54%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$2.39 LBP 214.2K

-24.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.91 LBP 81.6K

70.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$4.82 LBP 431.3K

-32.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$4.72 LBP 422.1K

24.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.88 LBP 168.2K

-26.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.82 LBP 73.3K

198.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

-31.36%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$3.88 LBP 347.4K

-28.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$13.61 LBP 1.2M

-33.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$10.63 LBP 951.1K

0.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$14.31 LBP 1.3M

2.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.12 LBP 279.4K

27.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.72 LBP 154.0K

-19.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.66 LBP 148.8K

38.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.47 LBP 131.2K

37.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.42 LBP 126.7K

47.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.64 LBP 146.4K

-0.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.20 LBP 107.5K

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.69 LBP 61.5K

81.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.96 LBP 265.2K

36.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$10.01 LBP 896.3K

34.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.34 LBP 119.8K

19.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.51 LBP 224.6K

19.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$4.97 LBP 445.1K

-67.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$2.28 LBP 203.9K

-6.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$22.32 LBP 2.0M

-61.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.03 LBP 91.8K

31.07%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$53.3K LBP 4.8B

-46.89%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$33.0K LBP 3.0B

8.26%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$229 LBP 20.5M

-33.98%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$23.53 LBP 2.1M

-44.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$37.88 LBP 3.4M

-14.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$10.01 LBP 896.3K

-35.76%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$676 LBP 60.5M

23.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$10.6K LBP 950.4M

-16.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$68.8 LBP 6.2M

29.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$48.45 LBP 4.3M

14.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$139 LBP 12.4M

-1.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$119 LBP 10.7M

-8.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

-5.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $64.0 in Zgharta. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $280 in Zgharta – so Zgharta 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 Zgharta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 71%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,479 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $64.0 in Zgharta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zgharta, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.