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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $877 in Zgharta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,403 in Zgharta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,928 in Zgharta, rent included.

Medellin costs about 17% more than Zgharta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Zgharta are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zgharta 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$10.94 LBP 978.8K

-45.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$59.2 LBP 5.3M

-44.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$7.87 LBP 704.2K

-5.72%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$3.26 LBP 291.8K

-49.39%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.57 LBP 140.2K

-31.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.92 LBP 82.2K

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$3.44 LBP 307.5K

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.95 LBP 443.2K

-35.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.78 LBP 159.4K

-41.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.78 LBP 70.2K

67.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.81 LBP 161.7K

-25.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$3.17 LBP 283.9K

-30.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$11.49 LBP 1.0M

-61.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$9.68 LBP 866.7K

-41.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$11.28 LBP 1.0M

-24.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.81 LBP 161.9K

29.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.47 LBP 131.6K

-24.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.11 LBP 99.2K

36.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.05 LBP 94.0K

30.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.94 LBP 83.7K

22.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.01 LBP 90.2K

16.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.88 LBP 78.9K

-4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.52 LBP 46.5K

65.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

-8.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$9.92 LBP 887.9K

16.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.23 LBP 110.4K

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.21 LBP 197.5K

12.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$4.92 LBP 440.7K

-70.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.27 LBP 113.6K

51.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$19.90 LBP 1.8M

-60.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.88 LBP 78.7K

14.77%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-49.19%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$28.2K LBP 2.5B

-6.16%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$217 LBP 19.4M

-62.67%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$38.23 LBP 3.4M

-75.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$36.49 LBP 3.3M

-34.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$7.83 LBP 700.9K

-47.77%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$302 LBP 27.1M

3.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$4,359 LBP 390.1M

38.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$72.4 LBP 6.5M

-17.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$44.47 LBP 4.0M

-28.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$125 LBP 11.2M

-18.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$93.5 LBP 8.4M

12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $59.0 in Zgharta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $235 – 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 17%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,316 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 $59.0 in Zgharta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% 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 $877, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.