Cost of Living Comparison Between Zahlah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Zahlah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,069 per month in Zahlah vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,668 per month in Zahlah vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,266 per month in Zahlah vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Zahlah costs about 3% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zahlah and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zahlah 20% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 LBP 969.9K

$5.92 COP 21.4K

83.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 LBP 5.4M

$32.75 COP 118.2K

84.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 LBP 712.0K

$7.20 COP 26.0K

10.42%

Cappuccino

$3.26 LBP 292.1K

$1.70 COP 6,140

91.76%

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

$1.59 LBP 142.1K

$1.10 COP 3,966

44.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 LBP 77.2K

$0.72 COP 2,605

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 LBP 317.6K

$1.67 COP 6,022

112.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 LBP 182.1K

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-34.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

$1.06 COP 3,809

-4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.4K

$1.25 COP 4,497

-32.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 LBP 159.3K

$1.39 COP 5,022

28.06%

Eggs

$3.22 LBP 288.3K

$2.26 COP 8,168

42.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$4.33 COP 15.6K

165.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 LBP 870.6K

$5.84 COP 21.1K

66.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 LBP 1.0M

$8.83 COP 31.9K

28.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 LBP 162.1K

$2.24 COP 8,099

-19.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 LBP 135.6K

$1.08 COP 3,882

39.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 98.0K

$1.53 COP 5,522

-28.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

$1.37 COP 4,950

-24.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 LBP 85.5K

$1.13 COP 4,078

-15.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.1K

$1.12 COP 4,036

-9.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

$0.85 COP 3,057

-4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.4K

$0.91 COP 3,281

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 LBP 230.2K

$2.33 COP 8,414

10.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 LBP 1.0M

$11.13 COP 40.2K

0.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.9K

$1.19 COP 4,309

4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 LBP 189.7K

$2.37 COP 8,553

-10.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 LBP 450.1K

$1.44 COP 5,184

249.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 108.9K

$1.91 COP 6,901

-36.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

$8.02 COP 28.9K

149.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 LBP 83.7K

$0.94 COP 3,385

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$17.9K COP 64.7M

94.06%

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

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

$26.8K COP 96.7M

2.57%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$84.0 COP 303.1K

158.12%

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

$37.65 LBP 3.4M

$9.60 COP 34.7K

292.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.82 LBP 3.4M

$24.16 COP 87.2K

56.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$8.08 LBP 723.4K

$3.92 COP 14.1K

106.12%

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

$296 LBP 26.5M

$306 COP 1.1M

-3.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,467 LBP 399.8M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-24.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

$57.9 COP 209.1K

22.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 LBP 4.0M

$31.82 COP 114.9K

40.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 LBP 11.2M

$99.9 COP 360.6K

25.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 LBP 8.3M

$107 COP 386.8K

-13.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 LBP 17.8M

$368 COP 1.3M

-45.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 LBP 35.9M

$716 COP 2.6M

-44.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

13.43

-16.90%

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

Last update for Zahlah: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Zahlah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $190 – making Medellin 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

Zahlah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zahlah is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,604 per month in Zahlah and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Zahlah 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 22% more in Zahlah, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Zahlah at $1,069. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zahlah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zahlah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.