Cost of Living Comparison Between Tripoli and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tripoli and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Tripoli vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,625 per month in Tripoli vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,176 per month in Tripoli vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Tripoli is about 36% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tripoli sits 22% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.14 LBP 460.0K

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-35.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 LBP 4.5M

$47.87 COP 149.4K

5.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 LBP 825.4K

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-6.77%

Cappuccino

$4.08 LBP 365.5K

$3.13 COP 9,767

30.35%

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

$1.52 LBP 136.2K

$1.91 COP 5,954

-20.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 LBP 76.9K

$1.51 COP 4,712

-43.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 LBP 457.0K

$3.12 COP 9,747

63.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 LBP 441.5K

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-14.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 LBP 111.9K

$1.44 COP 4,509

-13.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.2K

$2.49 COP 7,759

-66.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 LBP 136.2K

$1.77 COP 5,535

-14.12%

Eggs

$1.18 LBP 105.9K

$2.96 COP 9,235

-60.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 LBP 1.2M

$10.07 COP 31.4K

31.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 LBP 567.7K

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-37.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 LBP 966.1K

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-24.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 LBP 278.5K

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-24.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 151.6K

$1.61 COP 5,019

4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 LBP 150.2K

$2.25 COP 7,007

-25.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 LBP 46.3K

$2.25 COP 7,028

-76.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 LBP 55.5K

$2.04 COP 6,375

-69.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 LBP 147.9K

$1.54 COP 4,790

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 LBP 80.7K

$1.17 COP 3,651

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LBP 41.4K

$1.31 COP 4,077

-64.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 LBP 270.0K

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-22.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 LBP 897.2K

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-28.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 LBP 119.6K

$1.74 COP 5,439

-22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 LBP 221.4K

$2.87 COP 8,956

-13.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 LBP 456.3K

$1.31 COP 4,084

289.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$2.19 COP 6,825

-54.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.21 LBP 1.8M

$8.71 COP 27.2K

132.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

$1.37 COP 4,260

-24.09%

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

$54.5K LBP 4.9B

$27.8K COP 86.9M

95.80%

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

$32.3K LBP 2.9B

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-9.76%

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

$230 LBP 20.5M

$177 COP 553.2K

29.49%

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

$14.34 LBP 1.3M

$13.88 COP 43.3K

3.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.36 LBP 2.0M

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-24.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.80 LBP 3.6M

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-11.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$10.03 LBP 897.4K

$6.65 COP 20.7K

50.83%

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

$673 LBP 60.2M

$813 COP 2.5M

-17.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,414 LBP 305.5M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-62.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 LBP 6.2M

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-23.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 LBP 4.5M

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-15.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 LBP 12.3M

$138 COP 431.2K

-0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 LBP 10.5M

$102 COP 318.7K

15.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 LBP 35.8M

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-62.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 LBP 17.8M

$663 COP 2.1M

-70.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 LBP 64.1M

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-62.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 LBP 31.1M

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-66.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,147 LBP 102.6M

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-72.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$853 LBP 76.3M

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-49.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$458 LBP 41.0M

$678 COP 2.1M

-32.39%

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 Tripoli: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $400 in Tripoli versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 48% 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 $51.0 in Tripoli versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Tripoli vs $305 in Medellin – so Tripoli 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

Tripoli vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 57%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,609 per month in Tripoli and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tripoli, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Tripoli and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 Tripoli, where all-in costs run around $1,073, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Tripoli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tripoli – 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 Tripoli. 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.