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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $530 per month in Tripoli vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $804 per month in Tripoli vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,079 per month in Tripoli vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Tripoli is about 69% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tripoli sits 61% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 LYD 24.59

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-51.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.99 LYD 94.9

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-68.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.49 LYD 15.77

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-74.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 LYD 3.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 LYD 3.82

Cappuccino

$0.44 LYD 2.76

$2.91 COP 9,149

-84.88%

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

$0.42 LYD 2.65

$1.94 COP 6,110

-78.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.09 LYD 0.59

$1.52 COP 4,783

-94.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 LYD 5.96

$1.36 COP 4,287

-30.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 LYD 1.27

$2.39 COP 7,505

-91.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 LYD 7.10

$1.70 COP 5,346

-34.12%

Eggs

$1.33 LYD 8.44

$2.87 COP 9,021

-53.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.03 LYD 31.87

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-49.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 LYD 20.73

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-69.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.86 LYD 62.4

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-33.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 LYD 14.70

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-43.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 LYD 9.55

$1.57 COP 4,940

-3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 LYD 4.47

$2.13 COP 6,682

-66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 LYD 3.50

$2.21 COP 6,959

-75.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 LYD 4.47

$2.05 COP 6,435

-65.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 LYD 2.90

$1.50 COP 4,728

-69.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 LYD 2.70

$1.19 COP 3,740

-63.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.19 LYD 1.17

$1.16 COP 3,640

-83.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 LYD 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 LYD 6.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 LYD 5.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 LYD 12.64

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-48.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LYD 2.04

$1.17 COP 3,672

-72.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 LYD 5.08

$1.28 COP 4,038

-37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 LYD 2.86

$2.09 COP 6,576

-78.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.02 LYD 0.11

$1.30 COP 4,080

-98.46%

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

$24.0K LYD 152.0K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-13.23%

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

$14.1K LYD 89.2K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-60.33%

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

$96.2 LYD 609

$176 COP 553.4K

-45.37%

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

$5.63 LYD 35.65

$13.37 COP 42.0K

-57.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.89 LYD 177

$29.89 COP 94.0K

-6.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.88 LYD 151

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-46.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.39 LYD 15.16

$17.06 COP 53.6K

-85.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

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

$53.6 LYD 339

$793 COP 2.5M

-93.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$623 LYD 3,945

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-93.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.54 LYD 130

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-76.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.80 LYD 113

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-69.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.7 LYD 353

$136 COP 428.4K

-59.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.3 LYD 426

$103 COP 324.1K

-34.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 LYD 2,288

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-65.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 LYD 919

$680 COP 2.1M

-78.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 LYD 3,810

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-70.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 LYD 1,661

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-77.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 LYD 1,584

$665 COP 2.1M

-62.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Tripoli: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Tripoli versus $1,060 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 166% 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 $15.00 in Tripoli versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $303 – making Tripoli 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

Tripoli vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 224%, 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 $794 per month in Tripoli and $2,574 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 $15.00 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 163% 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 $530, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.