Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zinj Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zinj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $830 in Zinj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,328 in Zinj, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,826 in Zinj, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Zinj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Zinj are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zinj 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$6.75 BHD 2.54

-11.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$53.3 BHD 20.08

-38.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$7.61 BHD 2.87

-2.50%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$5.39 BHD 2.03

-69.39%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.87 BHD 0.33

22.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.36 BHD 0.14

111.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$7.83 BHD 2.95

-78.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$10.48 BHD 3.95

-69.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.65 BHD 0.62

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.29 BHD 0.49

1.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.31 BHD 0.87

-41.99%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.51 BHD 0.95

-12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$8.95 BHD 3.37

-50.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$7.52 BHD 2.84

-24.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$10.07 BHD 3.80

-15.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.47 BHD 0.93

-5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.04 BHD 0.77

-45.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.70 BHD 0.64

-10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.22 BHD 0.46

12.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.87 BHD 0.33

32.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.03 BHD 0.39

14.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.47 BHD 0.55

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.93 BHD 0.35

-7.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$6.51 BHD 2.45

-65.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$18.80 BHD 7.09

-38.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$3.37 BHD 1.27

-64.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$3.26 BHD 1.23

-23.93%

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

$4.61 BHD 1.74

-68.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$4.02 BHD 1.52

-52.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$27.00 BHD 10.18

-71.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.56 BHD 0.21

80.36%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$36.8K BHD 13.9K

-51.98%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$20.9K BHD 7,867

26.75%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$124 BHD 46.56

-34.35%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$27.20 BHD 10.25

-65.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$38.09 BHD 14.35

-37.36%

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

$10.77 BHD 4.06

-62.02%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$389 BHD 147

-19.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$8,952 BHD 3,374

-32.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$46.79 BHD 17.64

27.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$63.5 BHD 23.94

-49.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$81.7 BHD 30.79

23.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$86.8 BHD 32.72

21.08%

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

8.56

56.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Zinj: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $53.0 in Zinj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $264 – 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 Zinj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,245 in Zinj. 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 $53.0 in Zinj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 39% 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 Zinj, where all-in costs run around $830, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Zinj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zinj – 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 Zinj. 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.