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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $364 per month in Zaltan vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $564 per month in Zaltan vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $764 per month in Zaltan vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Zaltan is about 78% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Zaltan sits 73% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 LYD 24.72

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-51.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.77 LYD 93.6

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-69.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.49 LYD 15.77

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-74.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.65 LYD 4.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 LYD 3.82

Cappuccino

$0.43 LYD 2.72

$3.13 COP 9,873

-86.26%

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

$0.42 LYD 2.65

$1.91 COP 6,019

-78.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.09 LYD 0.58

$1.51 COP 4,763

-94.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 LYD 6.15

$1.44 COP 4,558

-32.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 LYD 1.27

$2.49 COP 7,843

-91.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 LYD 7.41

$1.77 COP 5,595

-33.90%

Eggs

$1.34 LYD 8.51

$2.96 COP 9,336

-54.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.06 LYD 32.07

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-49.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 LYD 20.53

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-67.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.88 LYD 62.6

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-30.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 LYD 14.26

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-45.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 LYD 9.46

$1.61 COP 5,073

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 LYD 4.56

$2.25 COP 7,083

-68.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 LYD 3.52

$2.25 COP 7,104

-75.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 LYD 4.25

$2.04 COP 6,444

-67.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 LYD 3.11

$1.54 COP 4,842

-68.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 LYD 2.72

$1.17 COP 3,691

-63.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.16 LYD 1.04

$1.31 COP 4,121

-87.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 LYD 11.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 LYD 6.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 LYD 5.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 LYD 12.57

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-49.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 LYD 5.25

$1.31 COP 4,129

-36.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 LYD 2.91

$2.19 COP 6,899

-79.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.02 LYD 0.11

$1.37 COP 4,306

-98.54%

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

$23.9K LYD 151.6K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-14.04%

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

$14.1K LYD 89.1K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-60.71%

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

$95.8 LYD 607

$177 COP 559.3K

-45.97%

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

$5.86 LYD 37.15

$13.88 COP 43.8K

-57.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.16 LYD 172

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-8.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

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

$52.5 LYD 333

$813 COP 2.6M

-93.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$618 LYD 3,918

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-93.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.50 LYD 130

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-77.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.57 LYD 111

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-70.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.6 LYD 346

$138 COP 435.9K

-60.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.1 LYD 419

$102 COP 322.1K

-35.33%

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 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

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 Zaltan: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Zaltan versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $305 – 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 362%, 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 $546 per month in Zaltan 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 $15.00 in Zaltan 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 164% 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 $364, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.