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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $843 in Zinj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,338 in Zinj, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,833 in Zinj, rent included.

Medellin costs about 23% more than Zinj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Zinj are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zinj 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.71 BHD 2.52

-11.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$53.1 BHD 19.95

-38.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.40 BHD 2.78

-2.70%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$5.29 BHD 1.99

-67.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.79 BHD 0.30

39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.40 BHD 0.15

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$8.07 BHD 3.03

-79.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$10.67 BHD 4.01

-70.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.72 BHD 0.65

-38.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.32 BHD 0.50

-5.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.34 BHD 0.88

-40.60%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.40 BHD 0.90

-5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.60 BHD 3.23

-49.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.76 BHD 2.92

-24.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.34 BHD 3.89

-14.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.46 BHD 0.92

-8.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.11 BHD 0.79

-48.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.67 BHD 0.63

-8.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.16 BHD 0.44

18.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.94 BHD 0.35

20.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.09 BHD 0.41

2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.51 BHD 0.57

-43.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.88 BHD 0.33

3.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.57 BHD 2.47

-64.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$18.57 BHD 6.98

-40.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$3.33 BHD 1.25

-64.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.32 BHD 1.25

-28.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$4.60 BHD 1.73

-68.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.86 BHD 1.45

-50.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$26.37 BHD 9.91

-69.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.56 BHD 0.21

67.86%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$36.5K BHD 13.7K

-50.85%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.9K BHD 7,844

28.42%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$122 BHD 45.80

-31.07%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$26.62 BHD 10.01

-63.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$38.78 BHD 14.58

-37.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$10.67 BHD 4.01

-63.26%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$388 BHD 146

-21.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$9,105 BHD 3,423

-35.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$46.76 BHD 17.58

23.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$63.7 BHD 23.94

-50.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$83.6 BHD 31.45

19.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$90.1 BHD 33.87

18.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Zinj: April 28, 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 23%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,265 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 $843, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.