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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,095 per month in Zahlah vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,704 per month in Zahlah vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,313 per month in Zahlah vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Zahlah costs about 9% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zahlah and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zahlah 18% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 LBP 986.1K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

86.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

$32.96 COP 103.8K

78.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 LBP 700.0K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

5.25%

Cappuccino

$3.29 LBP 294.3K

$1.65 COP 5,207

99.39%

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

$1.63 LBP 145.8K

$1.10 COP 3,468

48.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

$0.78 COP 2,458

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 LBP 319.3K

$1.72 COP 5,412

107.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 LBP 181.0K

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-36.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

$1.10 COP 3,474

-8.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.3K

$1.26 COP 3,962

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

$1.38 COP 4,349

31.88%

Eggs

$3.06 LBP 274.1K

$2.18 COP 6,858

40.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 LBP 1.0M

$4.49 COP 14.1K

150.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 LBP 851.2K

$5.79 COP 18.2K

64.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 LBP 1.0M

$8.97 COP 28.2K

28.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 LBP 154.1K

$2.32 COP 7,308

-25.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 LBP 131.2K

$1.06 COP 3,352

38.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

$1.52 COP 4,774

-25.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.9K

$1.36 COP 4,270

-23.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

$1.13 COP 3,552

-12.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.0K

$1.17 COP 3,689

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.3K

$0.90 COP 2,838

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LBP 49.9K

$0.90 COP 2,823

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 LBP 229.9K

$2.23 COP 7,034

15.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.91 LBP 887.3K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-18.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

$1.19 COP 3,743

6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 LBP 198.9K

$2.48 COP 7,815

-10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 LBP 455.2K

$1.42 COP 4,459

258.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 109.6K

$1.95 COP 6,141

-37.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.97 LBP 1.8M

$7.89 COP 24.8K

153.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 LBP 79.2K

$0.99 COP 3,118

-11.11%

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

$34.7K LBP 3.1B

$17.6K COP 55.4M

97.09%

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

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

$26.8K COP 84.4M

4.15%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$83.0 COP 261.4K

160.81%

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

$36.97 LBP 3.3M

$9.70 COP 30.5K

281.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 LBP 3.3M

$23.52 COP 74.1K

56.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 LBP 731.0K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

106.84%

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

$300 LBP 26.9M

$316 COP 994.2K

-4.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,530 LBP 405.4M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-24.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 LBP 6.3M

$60.0 COP 188.9K

16.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.20 LBP 4.0M

$31.82 COP 100.2K

42.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.8M

$102 COP 320.1K

18.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 LBP 8.5M

$107 COP 338.3K

-11.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 LBP 17.9M

$374 COP 1.2M

-46.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 LBP 35.2M

$719 COP 2.3M

-45.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Zahlah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $193 – 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 9%, 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 $1,642 per month in Zahlah and $1,504 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 $59.0 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 17% 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 $1,003, than in Zahlah at $1,095. 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.