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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $319 per month in Zaltan vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $542 per month in Zaltan vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $764 per month in Zaltan vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Zaltan is about 69% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zaltan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zaltan 76% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 LYD 28.68

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-26.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.16 LYD 116

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-44.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.59 LYD 22.90

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-51.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.58 LYD 3.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.60

Cappuccino

$0.52 LYD 3.29

$1.72 COP 5,599

-69.77%

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

$0.49 LYD 3.14

$1.05 COP 3,420

-53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 LYD 0.68

$0.77 COP 2,515

-85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 LYD 6.53

$1.05 COP 3,423

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

$1.30 COP 4,236

-82.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 LYD 7.54

$1.40 COP 4,544

-15.71%

Eggs

$1.49 LYD 9.50

$2.16 COP 7,046

-31.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.96 LYD 31.62

$4.39 COP 14.3K

12.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 LYD 21.60

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-42.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 LYD 66.4

$8.64 COP 28.1K

20.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 LYD 13.90

$2.28 COP 7,425

-4.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 LYD 8.55

$1.11 COP 3,603

20.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 LYD 5.28

$1.53 COP 4,982

-45.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

$1.35 COP 4,410

-60.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 LYD 4.41

$1.13 COP 3,674

-38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 LYD 3.34

$1.13 COP 3,692

-53.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 LYD 2.47

$0.85 COP 2,753

-54.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 LYD 1.27

$0.91 COP 2,975

-78.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 LYD 8.19

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.33

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.80 LYD 11.48

$2.34 COP 7,629

-23.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 LYD 5.79

$1.42 COP 4,623

-35.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 LYD 5.35

$1.92 COP 6,235

-56.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 LYD 28.79

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-40.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.20

$0.99 COP 3,223

-96.97%

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

$13.5K LYD 86.3K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-24.90%

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

$16.3K LYD 103.9K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-38.73%

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

$31.89 LYD 203

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-60.54%

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

$8.35 LYD 53.2

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-16.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.22 LYD 148

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-3.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 LYD 29.79

$3.98 COP 13.0K

17.59%

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

$53.2 LYD 339

$305 COP 993.4K

-82.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$918 LYD 5,845

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-84.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.48 LYD 137

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-63.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 LYD 227

$32.20 COP 104.8K

10.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.0 LYD 325

$101 COP 327.9K

-49.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 LYD 354

$108 COP 350.8K

-48.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 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: $118 vs $193 – 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 223%, 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 $479 per month in Zaltan and $1,546 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 63% 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 $319, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.