Cost of Living Comparison Between Zepce and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Zepce and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,139 per month in Zepce vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,709 per month in Zepce vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,279 per month in Zepce vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Zepce is about 31% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Zepce sits 17% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.96 BAM 16.73

$8.04 COP 24.9K

23.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 BAM 88.9

$48.29 COP 149.7K

9.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 BAM 18.87

$9.42 COP 29.2K

19.21%

Cappuccino

$1.92 BAM 3.23

$2.94 COP 9,105

-34.69%

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

$2.58 BAM 4.33

$1.86 COP 5,776

38.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BAM 2.81

$1.46 COP 4,511

14.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 BAM 4.29

$3.21 COP 9,953

-20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 BAM 6.03

$5.71 COP 17.7K

-37.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.50

$1.44 COP 4,460

3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 BAM 2.12

$2.40 COP 7,442

-47.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 BAM 2.82

$1.70 COP 5,265

-1.18%

Eggs

$2.92 BAM 4.91

$2.89 COP 8,960

1.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 BAM 16.86

$10.06 COP 31.2K

-0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.82 BAM 14.82

$9.97 COP 30.9K

-11.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 BAM 24.08

$14.20 COP 44.0K

0.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 BAM 3.20

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-52.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 BAM 3.34

$1.58 COP 4,913

25.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.87

$2.15 COP 6,671

6.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 BAM 2.93

$2.30 COP 7,129

-23.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 BAM 1.77

$2.00 COP 6,213

-47.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 BAM 2.37

$1.51 COP 4,679

-6.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 BAM 1.97

$1.20 COP 3,727

-2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 BAM 1.47

$1.28 COP 3,974

-31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 BAM 6.62

$3.84 COP 11.9K

2.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 BAM 13.78

$14.01 COP 43.4K

-41.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BAM 1.75

$1.71 COP 5,294

-39.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 BAM 2.36

$2.74 COP 8,500

-48.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 BAM 2.26

$1.25 COP 3,861

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 BAM 3.02

$1.31 COP 4,045

37.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 BAM 1.96

$2.17 COP 6,728

-46.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.02 BAM 30.27

$8.29 COP 25.7K

117.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 BAM 2.82

$1.36 COP 4,202

23.53%

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

$31.0K BAM 52.1K

$27.5K COP 85.2M

12.90%

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

$22.0K BAM 36.9K

$36.5K COP 113.2M

-39.83%

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

$165 BAM 276

$169 COP 523.0K

-2.48%

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

$16.96 BAM 28.49

$13.57 COP 42.1K

24.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.72 BAM 63.4

$28.32 COP 87.8K

33.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.03 BAM 57.2

$45.71 COP 141.7K

-25.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.97 BAM 20.11

$17.22 COP 53.4K

-30.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 BAM 5.03

$6.65 COP 20.6K

-54.89%

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

$299 BAM 503

$803 COP 2.5M

-62.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,694 BAM 6,204

$9,190 COP 28.5M

-59.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 BAM 142

$87.4 COP 270.8K

-3.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 BAM 62.8

$59.4 COP 184.0K

-37.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 BAM 187

$139 COP 430.5K

-19.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 BAM 247

$102 COP 316.3K

44.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 BAM 607

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-66.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 BAM 434

$653 COP 2.0M

-60.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 BAM 902

$1,925 COP 6.0M

-72.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 BAM 636

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-63.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,538 BAM 4,263

$4,123 COP 12.8M

-38.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,846 BAM 3,101

$1,697 COP 5.3M

8.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

10.94

-59.41%

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

Last update for Zepce: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Zepce 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Zepce versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $248 in Zepce vs $300 in Medellin – so Zepce 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

Zepce vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,709 per month in Zepce 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 Zepce, 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 $53.0 in Zepce and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zepce, where all-in costs run around $1,139, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Zepce it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zepce – 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 Zepce. 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.