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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $838 in Zinj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,330 in Zinj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,822 in Zinj, rent included.

Medellin costs about 101% more than Zinj, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Zinj is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$6.65 BHD 2.51

18.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$52.5 BHD 19.80

-15.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.25 BHD 2.73

28.14%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$4.81 BHD 1.81

-39.71%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.82 BHD 0.31

120.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.30 BHD 0.11

416.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$6.43 BHD 2.43

-49.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$9.85 BHD 3.71

-40.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.43 BHD 0.54

-3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.05 BHD 0.40

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.30 BHD 0.87

-34.35%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.31 BHD 0.87

20.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$8.75 BHD 3.30

3.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$6.38 BHD 2.41

66.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$8.70 BHD 3.28

68.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.32 BHD 0.88

71.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.32 BHD 0.87

-40.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.89 BHD 0.71

21.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.45 BHD 0.55

39.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.01 BHD 0.38

106.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.36 BHD 0.51

19.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.48 BHD 0.56

-27.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.83 BHD 0.31

50.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$5.24 BHD 1.98

-23.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$18.37 BHD 6.93

-26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$3.67 BHD 1.38

-56.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.60 BHD 0.98

15.38%

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

$5.26 BHD 1.98

-69.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$3.38 BHD 1.27

-36.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$15.63 BHD 5.89

-45.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.68 BHD 0.26

98.53%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$36.9K BHD 13.9K

-23.19%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$20.4K BHD 7,685

75.10%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$151 BHD 56.9

0.34%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$24.52 BHD 9.24

-46.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$35.56 BHD 13.41

-9.17%

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

$10.82 BHD 4.08

-40.57%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$483 BHD 182

72.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$10.9K BHD 4,112

-18.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$52.1 BHD 19.64

71.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$58.5 BHD 22.04

-5.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$86.6 BHD 32.64

57.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$91.3 BHD 34.41

19.83%

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

6.21

67.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Zinj: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $53.0 in Zinj. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $250 in Zinj – so Zinj 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 Zinj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 101%, 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 $1,256 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $53.0 in Zinj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 Zinj, where all-in costs run around $838, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.