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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $410 per month in Zawiya vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $688 per month in Zawiya vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $965 per month in Zawiya vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Zawiya is about 59% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Zawiya and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zawiya 69% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 LYD 17.78

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-53.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.48 LYD 118

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-43.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 LYD 23.10

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-48.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.57 LYD 3.61

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.30

Cappuccino

$0.49 LYD 3.10

$1.71 COP 6,105

-71.35%

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

$0.49 LYD 3.12

$1.10 COP 3,918

-55.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 LYD 0.75

$0.78 COP 2,776

-84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 LYD 6.55

$1.09 COP 3,899

-5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.46

$1.26 COP 4,500

-81.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 LYD 7.86

$1.38 COP 4,914

-10.14%

Eggs

$1.23 LYD 7.85

$2.19 COP 7,813

-43.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.02 LYD 31.94

$4.40 COP 15.7K

14.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 LYD 20.81

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-41.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.09 LYD 64.2

$8.89 COP 31.7K

13.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 LYD 13.11

$2.34 COP 8,334

-11.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 LYD 8.09

$1.06 COP 3,771

19.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 LYD 5.25

$1.50 COP 5,365

-44.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 LYD 3.52

$1.38 COP 4,915

-60.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 LYD 3.66

$1.15 COP 4,104

-49.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 LYD 1.97

$1.16 COP 4,148

-73.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 LYD 2.43

$0.89 COP 3,176

-57.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 LYD 1.07

$0.84 COP 2,992

-79.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.75 LYD 4.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 LYD 4.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.84 LYD 11.73

$2.28 COP 8,131

-19.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 LYD 5.92

$0.86 COP 3,051

8.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.59 LYD 296

$41.40 COP 147.6K

12.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 LYD 6.11

$1.47 COP 5,255

-34.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 LYD 5.67

$1.96 COP 6,997

-54.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 LYD 17.42

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-64.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.18

$0.95 COP 3,403

-96.84%

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

$13.7K LYD 87.4K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

-24.19%

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

$16.2K LYD 103.1K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-38.82%

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

$32.55 LYD 207

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-60.43%

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

$6.52 LYD 41.44

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-31.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.02 LYD 89.2

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-42.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.08 LYD 128

$25.89 COP 92.3K

-22.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.48 LYD 28.49

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-76.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 LYD 28.93

$3.93 COP 14.0K

15.78%

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

$53.1 LYD 337

$309 COP 1.1M

-82.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$908 LYD 5,772

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-84.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.60 LYD 137

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-63.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.94 LYD 222

$32.35 COP 115.3K

8.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.97 LYD 203

$103 COP 365.7K

-68.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.00 LYD 229

$108 COP 386.5K

-66.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$107 LYD 679

$476 COP 1.7M

-77.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.1 LYD 440

$379 COP 1.4M

-81.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 LYD 1,280

$838 COP 3.0M

-75.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 LYD 863

$724 COP 2.6M

-81.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$470 LYD 2,988

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-83.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$38.66 LYD 246

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-96.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 LYD 1,653

$512 COP 1.8M

-49.22%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $107 in Zawiya 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 97% 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: $114 vs $188 – 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 147%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $615 per month in Zawiya 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 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 $410 in Zawiya and $1,013 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 $410, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.