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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,282 per month in Zatec vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,963 per month in Zatec vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,644 per month in Zatec vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Zatec costs about 27% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Zatec and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zatec 4% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.91 Kč 144

$5.99 COP 21.4K

15.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.54 Kč 387

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-43.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 Kč 193

$7.09 COP 25.3K

30.47%

Cappuccino

$3.00 Kč 62.5

$1.71 COP 6,105

75.44%

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

$0.73 Kč 15.20

$1.10 COP 3,918

-33.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 Kč 20.24

$0.78 COP 2,776

24.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 Kč 47.61

$1.68 COP 5,987

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 Kč 52.0

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-18.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 Kč 18.81

$1.09 COP 3,899

-17.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 Kč 29.58

$1.26 COP 4,500

12.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 Kč 43.89

$1.38 COP 4,914

52.90%

Eggs

$2.59 Kč 53.9

$2.19 COP 7,813

18.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.82 Kč 121

$4.40 COP 15.7K

32.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 Kč 114

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-2.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 Kč 142

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-23.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 Kč 27.97

$2.34 COP 8,334

-42.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 Kč 33.45

$1.06 COP 3,771

50.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 Kč 43.30

$1.50 COP 5,365

38.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 Kč 83.8

$1.38 COP 4,915

191.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Kč 20.00

$1.15 COP 4,104

-16.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 Kč 27.70

$1.16 COP 4,148

14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 Kč 33.88

$0.89 COP 3,176

83.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Kč 10.75

$0.84 COP 2,992

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.18 Kč 129

$2.28 COP 8,131

171.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.63 Kč 117

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-47.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 Kč 19.49

$1.20 COP 4,276

-22.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Kč 39.05

$2.47 COP 8,809

-24.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 Kč 7.19

$0.86 COP 3,051

-59.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.83 Kč 539

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-37.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Kč 59.5

$1.47 COP 5,255

93.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 Kč 31.06

$1.96 COP 6,997

-23.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.13 Kč 315

$7.74 COP 27.6K

95.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Kč 36.39

$0.95 COP 3,403

84.21%

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

$27.9K Kč 581.7K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

53.89%

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

$29.8K Kč 622.0K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

12.65%

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

$314 Kč 6,539

$82.3 COP 293.2K

281.36%

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

$25.02 Kč 522

$9.50 COP 33.9K

163.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.54 Kč 428

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-15.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 Kč 1,104

$25.89 COP 92.3K

104.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.03 Kč 355

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-10.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 Kč 239

$3.93 COP 14.0K

192.11%

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

$427 Kč 8,897

$309 COP 1.1M

37.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K Kč 302.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

143.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 Kč 1,820

$58.7 COP 209.1K

48.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.49 Kč 844

$32.35 COP 115.3K

25.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.98 Kč 959

$103 COP 365.7K

-55.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 Kč 2,352

$108 COP 386.5K

4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 Kč 7,504

$476 COP 1.7M

-24.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 Kč 6,743

$379 COP 1.4M

-14.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 Kč 24.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

37.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 Kč 18.1K

$724 COP 2.6M

19.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,310 Kč 110.7K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

90.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,845 Kč 59.3K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

134.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,184 Kč 24.7K

$512 COP 1.8M

131.33%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $360 in Zatec versus $476 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 131% 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. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Zatec vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 27%, 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 $1,923 per month in Zatec and $1,519 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 $1,282 in Zatec and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Zatec at $1,282. 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.