Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zugdidi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zugdidi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $647 in Zugdidi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,029 in Zugdidi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,410 in Zugdidi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 59% more than Zugdidi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Zugdidi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zugdidi 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 19.8K

$10.88 ₾28.51

-43.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 104.8K

$29.03 ₾76.1

12.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.6K

$5.58 ₾14.63

31.54%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,527

$3.10 ₾8.11

-44.52%

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

$1.05 COP 3,376

$0.55 ₾1.44

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,482

$0.25 ₾0.65

208.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,417

$2.22 ₾5.82

-23.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.85 ₾7.48

11.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,379

$1.96 ₾5.15

-46.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,181

$0.71 ₾1.86

83.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,485

$1.89 ₾4.95

-25.93%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 6,956

$2.55 ₾6.69

-15.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.1K

$7.48 ₾19.62

-41.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 18.9K

$6.42 ₾16.84

-8.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$9.68 ₾25.37

-10.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,330

$1.22 ₾3.19

86.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,557

$1.57 ₾4.11

-29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,918

$1.88 ₾4.93

-18.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,353

$2.25 ₾5.89

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,627

$0.70 ₾1.84

61.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,644

$0.68 ₾1.77

66.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,717

$1.22 ₾3.21

-30.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,937

$0.46 ₾1.20

97.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,531

$3.06 ₾8.01

-23.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 39.7K

$7.46 ₾19.55

65.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,859

$1.55 ₾4.06

-22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,000

$2.31 ₾6.06

7.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,692

$0.16 ₾0.43

425.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 130.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,563

$1.43 ₾3.76

-0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,155

$0.68 ₾1.78

182.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.6K

$7.13 ₾18.70

7.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,181

$0.87 ₾2.27

13.79%

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

$18.0K COP 57.9M

$17.2K ₾45.2K

4.60%

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

$26.6K COP 85.6M

$20.2K ₾52.9K

31.88%

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

$80.8 COP 259.7K

$72.9 ₾191

10.85%

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

$9.95 COP 32.0K

$11.61 ₾30.44

-14.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 77.7K

$17.50 ₾45.87

38.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 80.6K

$23.36 ₾61.2

7.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 61.5K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 12.8K

$4.62 ₾12.11

-13.85%

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

$305 COP 980.7K

$264 ₾692

15.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.5M

$5,115 ₾13.4K

18.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 186.8K

$21.75 ₾57.0

167.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 103.5K

$44.08 ₾116

-26.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.7K

$118 ₾310

-14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 346.3K

$110 ₾289

-2.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$262 ₾688

135.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.89

12.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zugdidi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 135% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Zugdidi. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $203 in Zugdidi – so Medellin 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 Zugdidi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 59%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $970 in Zugdidi. 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 $29.00 in Zugdidi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zugdidi, where all-in costs run around $647, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Zugdidi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zugdidi – 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 Zugdidi. 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.