Cost of Living Comparison Between Zaltan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Zaltan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $325 per month in Zaltan vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $542 per month in Zaltan vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $758 per month in Zaltan vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Zaltan is about 68% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zaltan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zaltan 76% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 LYD 28.71

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-24.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.20 LYD 116

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-44.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.75 LYD 23.81

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-47.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 LYD 4.26

Cappuccino

$0.51 LYD 3.26

$1.71 COP 6,115

-70.18%

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

$0.48 LYD 3.07

$1.10 COP 3,924

-56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.10 LYD 0.63

$0.78 COP 2,781

-87.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 LYD 6.30

$1.09 COP 3,906

-9.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 LYD 1.33

$1.26 COP 4,508

-83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 LYD 7.82

$1.38 COP 4,922

-10.87%

Eggs

$1.44 LYD 9.15

$2.19 COP 7,827

-34.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.79 LYD 30.41

$4.40 COP 15.7K

8.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 LYD 21.66

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-39.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 LYD 66.0

$8.89 COP 31.8K

16.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 LYD 13.38

$2.34 COP 8,349

-9.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 LYD 8.49

$1.06 COP 3,777

26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 LYD 5.22

$1.50 COP 5,374

-45.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 LYD 3.59

$1.38 COP 4,924

-58.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 LYD 4.45

$1.15 COP 4,111

-39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 LYD 3.66

$1.16 COP 4,155

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 LYD 2.43

$0.89 COP 3,182

-57.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 LYD 1.40

$0.84 COP 2,997

-73.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 LYD 7.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.30

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.81 LYD 11.51

$2.28 COP 8,145

-20.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 LYD 6.09

$1.47 COP 5,264

-34.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 LYD 5.79

$1.96 COP 7,009

-53.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 LYD 28.52

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-41.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.18

$0.95 COP 3,409

-96.84%

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

$14.0K LYD 88.7K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-22.92%

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

$16.0K LYD 101.8K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-39.45%

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

$32.23 LYD 205

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-60.81%

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

$8.44 LYD 53.6

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-11.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.26 LYD 148

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-4.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 LYD 29.68

$3.93 COP 14.0K

18.83%

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

$51.6 LYD 327

$309 COP 1.1M

-83.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$924 LYD 5,869

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-84.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.74 LYD 138

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-62.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.95 LYD 228

$32.35 COP 115.5K

11.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.34 LYD 313

$103 COP 366.4K

-51.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 LYD 355

$108 COP 387.2K

-48.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

13.43

30.31%

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

Last update for Zaltan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Zaltan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $188 – making Zaltan 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

Zaltan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 211%, 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 $488 per month in Zaltan and $1,519 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 $18.00 in Zaltan 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 61% 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 Zaltan, where all-in costs run around $325, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Zaltan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zaltan – 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 Zaltan. 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.