Cost of Living Comparison Between Zawiya and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Zawiya and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $422 per month in Zawiya vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $694 per month in Zawiya vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $967 per month in Zawiya vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Zawiya is about 59% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zawiya and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zawiya 68% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 LYD 17.41

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-55.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.45 LYD 118

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-43.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.75 LYD 23.89

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-48.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Cappuccino

$0.48 LYD 3.03

$1.72 COP 5,599

-72.09%

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

$0.46 LYD 2.91

$1.05 COP 3,420

-56.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 LYD 0.67

$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)

$1.03 LYD 6.54

$1.05 COP 3,423

-1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

$1.30 COP 4,236

-82.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 LYD 7.49

$1.40 COP 4,544

-15.71%

Eggs

$1.17 LYD 7.48

$2.16 COP 7,046

-45.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.99 LYD 31.76

$4.39 COP 14.3K

13.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 LYD 21.04

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-43.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 LYD 66.2

$8.64 COP 28.1K

20.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 LYD 13.11

$2.28 COP 7,425

-9.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 LYD 8.49

$1.11 COP 3,603

19.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 LYD 4.81

$1.53 COP 4,982

-50.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.36

$1.35 COP 4,410

-60.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 LYD 3.94

$1.13 COP 3,674

-45.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 LYD 2.12

$1.13 COP 3,692

-70.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 LYD 2.43

$0.85 COP 2,753

-55.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 LYD 1.10

$0.91 COP 2,975

-81.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 LYD 4.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 LYD 11.76

$2.34 COP 7,629

-20.94%

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)

$0.91 LYD 5.78

$0.84 COP 2,727

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.79 LYD 298

$40.57 COP 132.1K

15.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 LYD 5.74

$1.42 COP 4,623

-36.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 LYD 5.66

$1.92 COP 6,235

-53.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 LYD 17.62

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-63.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.18

$0.99 COP 3,223

-96.97%

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

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-24.08%

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

$16.4K LYD 104.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-38.28%

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

$32.61 LYD 208

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-59.65%

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

$6.29 LYD 40.07

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-36.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.17 LYD 90.2

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-41.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.19 LYD 129

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-19.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.68 LYD 29.82

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-75.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 LYD 28.69

$3.98 COP 13.0K

13.07%

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

$52.3 LYD 333

$305 COP 993.4K

-82.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$908 LYD 5,786

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-85.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.44 LYD 137

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-63.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.92 LYD 222

$32.20 COP 104.8K

8.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.12 LYD 205

$101 COP 327.9K

-68.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.80 LYD 234

$108 COP 350.8K

-65.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$106 LYD 674

$477 COP 1.6M

-77.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.9 LYD 445

$376 COP 1.2M

-81.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 LYD 1,268

$845 COP 2.7M

-76.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 LYD 864

$730 COP 2.4M

-81.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$467 LYD 2,975

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-85.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$38.16 LYD 243

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-97.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$253 LYD 1,613

$617 COP 2.0M

-58.96%

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 Zawiya: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $106 in Zawiya 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 144% higher in Medellin, 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 $18.00 in Zawiya versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $193 – making Zawiya 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

Zawiya vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 144%, 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 $632 per month in Zawiya 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 Zawiya, 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 $18.00 in Zawiya 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 $422 in Zawiya and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zawiya, where all-in costs run around $422, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Zawiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zawiya – 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 Zawiya. 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.