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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $986 per month in Zahlah vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,607 per month in Zahlah vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,227 per month in Zahlah vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Zahlah is about 41% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Zahlah sits 28% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.07 LBP 1.1M

$8.02 COP 25.0K

50.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.6 LBP 5.7M

$47.87 COP 149.4K

32.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 LBP 883.7K

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-0.20%

Cappuccino

$4.70 LBP 420.5K

$3.13 COP 9,767

50.16%

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

$2.27 LBP 203.4K

$1.91 COP 5,954

18.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 LBP 74.2K

$1.51 COP 4,712

-45.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 LBP 448.8K

$3.12 COP 9,747

60.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 LBP 459.9K

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 LBP 172.7K

$1.44 COP 4,509

34.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

$2.49 COP 7,759

-65.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 LBP 189.3K

$1.77 COP 5,535

19.77%

Eggs

$3.53 LBP 315.8K

$2.96 COP 9,235

19.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 LBP 1.2M

$10.07 COP 31.4K

31.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.47 LBP 937.3K

$10.12 COP 31.6K

3.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 LBP 1.3M

$14.30 COP 44.6K

0.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 LBP 266.9K

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-28.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 LBP 152.7K

$1.61 COP 5,019

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 151.7K

$2.25 COP 7,007

-24.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 LBP 136.0K

$2.25 COP 7,028

-32.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 LBP 126.8K

$2.04 COP 6,375

-30.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 150.8K

$1.54 COP 4,790

9.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LBP 103.9K

$1.17 COP 3,651

-0.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LBP 61.9K

$1.31 COP 4,077

-47.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 LBP 276.4K

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-20.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 LBP 903.7K

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-27.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 LBP 119.7K

$1.74 COP 5,439

-22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 LBP 229.3K

$2.87 COP 8,956

-10.80%

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)

$5.08 LBP 454.4K

$1.31 COP 4,084

287.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 LBP 202.4K

$2.19 COP 6,825

3.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.27 LBP 2.0M

$8.71 COP 27.2K

155.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LBP 89.4K

$1.37 COP 4,260

-27.01%

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

$53.7K LBP 4.8B

$27.8K COP 86.9M

92.84%

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

$32.6K LBP 2.9B

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-8.90%

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

$232 LBP 20.8M

$177 COP 553.2K

30.99%

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

$23.16 LBP 2.1M

$13.88 COP 43.3K

66.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.07 LBP 3.4M

$29.72 COP 92.8K

28.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$9.91 LBP 887.0K

$6.65 COP 20.7K

49.02%

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

$688 LBP 61.6M

$813 COP 2.5M

-15.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K LBP 957.1M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

16.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-23.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.59 LBP 4.3M

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-17.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 LBP 12.3M

$138 COP 431.2K

-0.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 LBP 10.7M

$102 COP 318.7K

17.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

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 Zahlah: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Zahlah versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Zahlah vs $305 in Medellin – so Zahlah 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

Zahlah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 70%, 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 $1,479 per month in Zahlah and $2,521 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 $64.0 in Zahlah 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 10% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zahlah, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Zahlah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zahlah – 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 Zahlah. 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.