Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zaragoza and Medellin

For one person, living costs are similar in Zaragoza and in Medellin: $1,694 and $1,614 a month, rent and utilities included.

Zaragoza
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,694
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zaragoza and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zaragoza and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,694 per month in Zaragoza vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Zaragoza $1,694
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Zaragoza vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Zaragoza $2,478
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $3,263 per month in Zaragoza vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Zaragoza $3,263
  • Medellin $3,190

Zaragoza costs about 5% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Zaragoza and Medellin sit above the global median – Zaragoza by 25%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zaragoza
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.54 €14.72
$7.93 COP 25.2K
108.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.9 €50.6
$46.13 COP 146.3K
23.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$9.50 COP 30.1K
18.63%
Cappuccino
$2.12 €1.89
$3.11 COP 9,866
-31.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 €2.16
$1.83 COP 5,800
32.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 €1.37
$1.38 COP 4,360
11.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.43 €3.05
$3.05 COP 9,672
12.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 €2.93
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-40.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zaragoza
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 €1.06
$1.45 COP 4,600
-17.93%
White Bread (500g)
$1.95 €1.74
$2.36 COP 7,496
-17.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.49 €1.32
$1.68 COP 5,328
-11.31%
Eggs
$2.81 €2.50
$2.86 COP 9,077
-1.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.17 €14.39
$10.19 COP 32.3K
58.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.98 €7.98
$9.53 COP 30.2K
-5.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.00 €18.68
$14.04 COP 44.5K
49.57%
Apples (1kg)
$2.67 €2.37
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-34.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.50 €2.23
$1.50 COP 4,742
66.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.60 €2.31
$2.17 COP 6,891
19.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.08 €2.74
$2.31 COP 7,310
33.33%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 €1.78
$1.93 COP 6,113
3.63%
Onion (1kg)
$2.24 €1.99
$1.64 COP 5,196
36.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 €1.57
$1.13 COP 3,571
56.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 €0.65
$1.25 COP 3,954
-41.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.12 €5.44
$3.99 COP 12.6K
53.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.38 €3.90
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-67.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 €0.82
$1.70 COP 5,384
-45.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45 €3.07
$2.37 COP 7,525
45.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Zaragoza
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.69 €1.50
$1.21 COP 3,827
39.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.91 €28.38
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-58.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.32 €2.06
$1.32 COP 4,179
75.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 €0.94
$2.14 COP 6,774
-50.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.17 €25.95
$8.47 COP 26.8K
244.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 €1.58
$1.30 COP 4,114
36.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K €31.6K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
27.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3K €26.1K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
-17.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zaragoza
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$172 COP 545.6K
-6.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.52 €10.25
$13.37 COP 42.4K
-13.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.33 €18.97
$28.73 COP 91.1K
-25.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zaragoza
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.72 €31.78
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-21.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.36 €12.77
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-15.73%
Cinema Ticket
$9.10 €8.09
$6.28 COP 19.9K
44.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zaragoza
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 €439
$770 COP 2.4M
-35.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,876 €7,006
$9,011 COP 28.6M
-12.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zaragoza
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5 €79.6
$86.4 COP 274.0K
3.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.48 €34.23
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-32.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 €89.0
$137 COP 432.9K
-26.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 €101
$97.9 COP 310.4K
15.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zaragoza
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$810 €721
$1,055 COP 3.3M
-23.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$709 €630
$616 COP 2.0M
15.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,288 €1,145
$1,892 COP 6.0M
-31.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,009 €898
$1,023 COP 3.2M
-1.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,196 €2,843
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-21.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,944 €1,729
$1,678 COP 5.3M
15.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zaragoza
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,009 €1,787
$652 COP 2.1M
208.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.46
10.94
-68.37%

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

Last update for Zaragoza: October 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Zaragoza
$709
Medellin
$616 13.1% $93
Groceries & Markets
Zaragoza
$306
Medellin
$295 3.6% $11
Eating Out
Zaragoza
$231
Medellin
$168 27.2% $63
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zaragoza
$194
Medellin
$214 10.2% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Zaragoza
$154
Medellin
$170 10.7% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Zaragoza
$54
Medellin
$58 7.2% $3.9
Getting Around
Zaragoza
$46
Medellin
$93 102% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $810 in Zaragoza versus $1,055 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 208% higher in Zaragoza, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Zaragoza versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $306 vs $295 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Zaragoza
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
18:12 6:12 PM
11:12 11:12 AM
7 h behind Zaragoza
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
682,513
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Zaragoza Medellin 8,280 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Zaragoza
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Zaragoza vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Zaragoza?
Yes – Zaragoza is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,541 per month in Zaragoza and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Zaragoza or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Zaragoza and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Zaragoza and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,694 in Zaragoza and $1,614 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 5%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Zaragoza or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,614, than in Zaragoza at $1,694. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zaragoza it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Zaragoza or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Zaragoza or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zaragoza makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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