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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $426 per month in Zawiya vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $654 per month in Zawiya vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $881 per month in Zawiya vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Zawiya is about 74% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Zawiya sits 69% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 LYD 14.53

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-71.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.04 LYD 94.9

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-68.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.54 LYD 16.00

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-73.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 LYD 3.06

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 LYD 3.90

Cappuccino

$0.42 LYD 2.63

$2.94 COP 9,040

-85.71%

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

$0.42 LYD 2.64

$1.86 COP 5,735

-77.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.09 LYD 0.57

$1.46 COP 4,479

-93.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 LYD 5.72

$1.44 COP 4,428

-36.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 LYD 1.26

$2.40 COP 7,389

-91.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 LYD 7.05

$1.70 COP 5,228

-34.12%

Eggs

$1.03 LYD 6.48

$2.89 COP 8,896

-64.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.66 LYD 29.43

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-53.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 LYD 20.97

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-66.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 LYD 55.9

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-37.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 LYD 11.70

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-53.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 LYD 7.83

$1.58 COP 4,878

-21.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 LYD 4.47

$2.15 COP 6,624

-66.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.32

$2.30 COP 7,078

-76.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 LYD 3.09

$2.00 COP 6,169

-75.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.27 LYD 1.70

$1.51 COP 4,646

-82.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 LYD 1.88

$1.20 COP 3,701

-75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.18 LYD 1.13

$1.28 COP 3,946

-85.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 LYD 4.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 LYD 4.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 LYD 5.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 LYD 10.55

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-56.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 LYD 4.84

$1.25 COP 3,834

-38.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.03 LYD 246

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-49.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 LYD 4.92

$1.31 COP 4,016

-40.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 LYD 3.11

$2.17 COP 6,680

-77.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 LYD 15.16

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-71.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.02 LYD 0.13

$1.36 COP 4,172

-98.53%

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

$15.6K LYD 98.8K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-43.04%

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

$14.0K LYD 88.5K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-61.62%

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

$93.3 LYD 589

$169 COP 519.2K

-44.70%

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

$5.67 LYD 35.81

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-58.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.23 LYD 77.2

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-56.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.20 LYD 109

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-62.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 LYD 24.75

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-77.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.85 LYD 24.32

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-42.11%

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

$52.7 LYD 332

$803 COP 2.5M

-93.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$628 LYD 3,966

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-93.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.22 LYD 134

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-75.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.59 LYD 111

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-70.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.97 LYD 177

$139 COP 427.5K

-79.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.76 LYD 200

$102 COP 314.0K

-68.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$91.1 LYD 575

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-91.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.2 LYD 367

$653 COP 2.0M

-91.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$171 LYD 1,082

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-91.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 LYD 735

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-88.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$469 LYD 2,960

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-88.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$38.80 LYD 245

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-97.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$255 LYD 1,611

$655 COP 2.0M

-61.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Zawiya: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $91.1 in Zawiya versus $1,071 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 157% 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 $15.00 in Zawiya versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $104 vs $300 – 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 285%, 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 $639 per month in Zawiya and $2,462 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 $15.00 in Zawiya and $48.00 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 $426 in Zawiya and $1,641 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 $426, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.