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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $849 per month in Tripoli vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,342 per month in Tripoli vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Tripoli vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Tripoli is about 17% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Tripoli and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tripoli 37% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 LBP 414.2K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-22.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.44 LBP 3.4M

$33.33 COP 116.3K

12.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 LBP 723.6K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

11.76%

Cappuccino

$2.56 LBP 229.0K

$1.63 COP 5,687

57.06%

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

$1.47 LBP 131.3K

$1.09 COP 3,821

34.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 LBP 83.6K

$0.73 COP 2,548

27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 LBP 317.1K

$1.74 COP 6,065

103.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 LBP 440.1K

$3.23 COP 11.3K

52.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 LBP 119.6K

$1.05 COP 3,662

27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 LBP 30.8K

$1.29 COP 4,515

-73.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 LBP 82.5K

$1.32 COP 4,617

-30.30%

Eggs

$1.62 LBP 145.2K

$2.27 COP 7,927

-28.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.61 LBP 502.4K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

28.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 LBP 528.5K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.86 LBP 882.9K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

14.52%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

$2.25 COP 7,844

-56.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 LBP 50.8K

$1.07 COP 3,733

-46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.48 LBP 43.2K

$1.52 COP 5,322

-68.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

$1.42 COP 4,964

-31.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 LBP 48.7K

$1.17 COP 4,084

-53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 LBP 66.0K

$1.17 COP 4,077

-36.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 LBP 28.0K

$0.89 COP 3,096

-65.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LBP 37.3K

$0.90 COP 3,146

-53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.4K

$2.25 COP 7,837

9.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 LBP 883.6K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 LBP 114.7K

$1.14 COP 3,977

12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 196.9K

$2.38 COP 8,301

-7.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 LBP 91.6K

$0.84 COP 2,916

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 LBP 452.2K

$1.41 COP 4,912

258.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 LBP 111.0K

$1.90 COP 6,634

-34.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

$7.75 COP 27.0K

156.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.6K

$1.01 COP 3,509

-10.89%

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

$22.3K LBP 2.0B

$17.6K COP 61.4M

26.67%

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

$19.7K LBP 1.8B

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-25.64%

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

$213 LBP 19.1M

$83.7 COP 292.1K

154.78%

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

$21.71 LBP 1.9M

$9.45 COP 33.0K

129.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.82 LBP 3.4M

$24.11 COP 84.1K

56.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.82 LBP 1.8M

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-21.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.38 LBP 1.1M

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-35.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 LBP 578.8K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

57.80%

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

$138 LBP 12.3M

$312 COP 1.1M

-55.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,987 LBP 177.9M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-66.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.49 LBP 3.1M

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-40.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.27 LBP 4.1M

$32.56 COP 113.6K

39.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 LBP 7.6M

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-15.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 LBP 6.8M

$109 COP 378.8K

-29.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 LBP 22.7M

$482 COP 1.7M

-47.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 LBP 13.2M

$379 COP 1.3M

-61.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 LBP 68.2M

$837 COP 2.9M

-8.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 LBP 34.2M

$723 COP 2.5M

-47.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,180 LBP 105.6M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-58.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$867 LBP 77.6M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-29.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$446 LBP 39.9M

$541 COP 1.9M

-17.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-25.54%

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

Last update for Tripoli: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $253 in Tripoli versus $482 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 21% 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 $37.00 in Tripoli versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $158 in Tripoli vs $190 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 20%, 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 $1,273 per month in Tripoli and $1,525 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 $37.00 in Tripoli and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $849, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.