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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,555 per month in Medellin vs $998 in Zgharta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Medellin vs $1,601 in Zgharta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Medellin vs $2,205 in Zgharta, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Zgharta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 15% above the global median, while Zgharta is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 24.3K

$11.79 LBP 1.1M

-35.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 COP 143.4K

$68.6 LBP 6.1M

-34.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.6K

$9.86 LBP 882.9K

-6.29%

Cappuccino

$2.95 COP 9,441

$4.50 LBP 402.8K

-34.44%

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

$1.80 COP 5,769

$2.38 LBP 212.6K

-24.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 COP 4,322

$0.89 LBP 79.6K

51.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 COP 9,394

$5.07 LBP 453.7K

-42.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 COP 17.5K

$4.83 LBP 432.5K

13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 COP 4,590

$1.92 LBP 171.7K

-25.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,662

$0.92 LBP 82.1K

159.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,127

$2.33 LBP 208.5K

-31.33%

Eggs

$2.88 COP 9,217

$3.51 LBP 314.1K

-17.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 COP 31.1K

$11.17 LBP 1.0M

-13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 COP 30.2K

$10.63 LBP 951.3K

-11.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 COP 42.4K

$14.96 LBP 1.3M

-11.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.0K

$3.03 LBP 271.0K

23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,629

$1.71 LBP 152.7K

-15.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,722

$1.68 LBP 150.3K

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,821

$1.49 LBP 133.1K

42.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 COP 6,161

$1.20 LBP 107.3K

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,905

$1.52 LBP 136.5K

0.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 COP 3,493

$1.21 LBP 108.2K

-9.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,783

$0.68 LBP 60.6K

73.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.1K

$3.05 LBP 272.8K

24.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 COP 42.2K

$11.12 LBP 995.5K

18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,254

$1.28 LBP 114.9K

28.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 COP 7,294

$2.49 LBP 223.1K

-8.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,765

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 235.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,091

$4.87 LBP 435.6K

-73.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 COP 6,333

$2.29 LBP 205.2K

-13.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.3K

$22.84 LBP 2.0M

-65.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,145

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

25.24%

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

$26.8K COP 85.8M

$53.9K LBP 4.8B

-50.30%

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

$34.7K COP 111.1M

$32.4K LBP 2.9B

7.07%

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

$158 COP 505.5K

$229 LBP 20.5M

-31.09%

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

$13.39 COP 42.9K

$21.86 LBP 2.0M

-38.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 COP 87.4K

$38.56 LBP 3.5M

-29.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 141.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 51.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 COP 20.5K

$9.81 LBP 878.0K

-34.86%

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

$777 COP 2.5M

$693 LBP 62.0M

12.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 COP 28.2M

$10.5K LBP 940.0M

-16.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 COP 265.0K

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

21.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 COP 179.8K

$48.50 LBP 4.3M

15.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 COP 419.0K

$136 LBP 12.2M

-4.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 COP 307.2K

$122 LBP 10.9M

-21.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.2M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 5.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 12.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: September 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $69.0 in Zgharta. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Medellin vs $276 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 56%, 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 $2,333 per month in Medellin and $1,497 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 $69.0 in Zgharta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $998, than in Medellin at $1,555. 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.