Cost of Living Comparison Between Zatec and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Zatec and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Zatec vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,909 per month in Zatec vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,546 per month in Zatec vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Zatec costs about 23% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Zatec and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zatec 5% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.89 Kč 146

$6.16 COP 20.1K

11.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.94 Kč 401

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-41.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 Kč 196

$7.34 COP 23.9K

25.89%

Cappuccino

$3.07 Kč 65.0

$1.72 COP 5,600

78.49%

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

$0.73 Kč 15.39

$1.05 COP 3,420

-30.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 Kč 18.78

$0.77 COP 2,515

15.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 Kč 48.42

$1.69 COP 5,488

35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 Kč 55.7

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-17.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 Kč 17.32

$1.05 COP 3,423

-21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 Kč 29.39

$1.30 COP 4,236

6.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 Kč 45.00

$1.40 COP 4,544

52.14%

Eggs

$2.49 Kč 52.6

$2.16 COP 7,047

15.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.68 Kč 120

$4.39 COP 14.3K

29.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 Kč 118

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-5.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.10 Kč 150

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-17.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 Kč 28.38

$2.28 COP 7,426

-41.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 Kč 35.12

$1.11 COP 3,604

49.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 Kč 44.65

$1.53 COP 4,983

37.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 Kč 84.4

$1.35 COP 4,410

195.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 Kč 19.01

$1.13 COP 3,674

-20.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 Kč 27.97

$1.13 COP 3,692

16.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 Kč 33.69

$0.85 COP 2,753

87.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Kč 11.21

$0.91 COP 2,975

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.97 Kč 126

$2.34 COP 7,630

155.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 Kč 123

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-53.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 Kč 18.37

$1.20 COP 3,909

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 Kč 37.87

$2.49 COP 8,104

-28.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Kč 6.76

$0.84 COP 2,728

-61.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.10 Kč 553

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-35.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 Kč 60.6

$1.42 COP 4,623

101.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 Kč 32.71

$1.92 COP 6,235

-19.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.33 Kč 325

$7.66 COP 24.9K

100.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 Kč 36.68

$0.99 COP 3,223

74.75%

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

$27.6K Kč 583.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

52.90%

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

$29.7K Kč 628.9K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

11.52%

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

$303 Kč 6,425

$80.8 COP 263.1K

275.44%

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

$25.01 Kč 530

$9.95 COP 32.4K

151.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.07 Kč 446

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-12.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 Kč 1,144

$25.08 COP 81.7K

115.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 Kč 350

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-13.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 Kč 245

$3.98 COP 13.0K

190.45%

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

$439 Kč 9,288

$305 COP 993.5K

43.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K Kč 304.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

137.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 Kč 1,863

$58.1 COP 189.2K

51.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 Kč 855

$32.20 COP 104.8K

25.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.00 Kč 995

$101 COP 327.9K

-53.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 Kč 2,400

$108 COP 350.8K

5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 Kč 7,722

$477 COP 1.6M

-23.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 Kč 7,001

$376 COP 1.2M

-12.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 Kč 24.6K

$845 COP 2.7M

37.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$882 Kč 18.7K

$730 COP 2.4M

20.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,424 Kč 93.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

37.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,823 Kč 81.0K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

178.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,155 Kč 24.5K

$617 COP 2.0M

87.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.56

13.43

-58.60%

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

Last update for Zatec: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Zatec versus $477 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 87% higher in Zatec, 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 $19.00 in Zatec versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $193 – making Zatec 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

Zatec vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zatec is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,907 per month in Zatec and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Zatec and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Zatec and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Zatec at $1,271. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zatec 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, Zatec makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.