Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zouk Mikael Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zouk Mikael

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $987 in Zouk Mikael, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,595 in Zouk Mikael, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,204 in Zouk Mikael, rent included.

Medellin costs about 70% more than Zouk Mikael, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Zouk Mikael is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$12.07 LBP 1.1M

-33.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$64.8 LBP 5.8M

-26.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$9.84 LBP 880.5K

0.51%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$4.52 LBP 404.9K

-30.75%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$2.30 LBP 205.7K

-16.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.91 LBP 81.5K

65.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$5.05 LBP 452.0K

-38.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.92 LBP 440.2K

16.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.86 LBP 166.4K

-22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.84 LBP 75.2K

196.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$2.16 LBP 193.7K

-18.06%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$3.48 LBP 311.8K

-14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$13.68 LBP 1.2M

-26.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$10.61 LBP 949.6K

-4.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$13.99 LBP 1.3M

2.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.05 LBP 272.7K

35.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.71 LBP 153.1K

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.63 LBP 146.1K

38.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.52 LBP 135.9K

48.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.36 LBP 121.8K

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.70 LBP 151.9K

-9.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.21 LBP 108.0K

-3.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.72 LBP 64.8K

81.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.04 LBP 272.5K

28.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$10.18 LBP 911.4K

37.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.34 LBP 119.7K

29.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.58 LBP 230.6K

11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$4.90 LBP 438.9K

-73.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$2.30 LBP 205.6K

-4.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$22.58 LBP 2.0M

-61.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.05 LBP 93.6K

30.48%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$52.6K LBP 4.7B

-47.12%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$32.7K LBP 2.9B

9.34%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$227 LBP 20.4M

-22.06%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$22.99 LBP 2.1M

-39.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$38.29 LBP 3.4M

-22.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$10.01 LBP 896.2K

-33.57%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$681 LBP 60.9M

19.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$10.6K LBP 952.9M

-13.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$67.8 LBP 6.1M

32.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$48.94 LBP 4.4M

20.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$140 LBP 12.5M

-1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$119 LBP 10.7M

-14.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

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 14, 2026

Last update for Zouk Mikael: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $65.0 in Zouk Mikael. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $278 in Zouk Mikael – so Zouk Mikael 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 Zouk Mikael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 70%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,480 in Zouk Mikael. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $65.0 in Zouk Mikael. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zouk Mikael, where all-in costs run around $987, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Zouk Mikael it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zouk Mikael – 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 Zouk Mikael. 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.