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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,008 per month in Zepce vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,530 per month in Zepce vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,053 per month in Zepce vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Zepce and Medellin have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Zepce and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zepce 25% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.64 BAM 14.51

$5.99 COP 21.4K

44.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.42 BAM 69.6

$32.86 COP 117.4K

26.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 BAM 15.17

$7.09 COP 25.3K

27.36%

Cappuccino

$1.57 BAM 2.64

$1.71 COP 6,115

-8.19%

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

$1.94 BAM 3.25

$1.10 COP 3,924

76.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 BAM 1.94

$0.78 COP 2,781

47.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 BAM 3.53

$1.68 COP 5,997

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 BAM 4.66

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-9.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 BAM 2.26

$1.09 COP 3,906

22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 BAM 2.14

$1.26 COP 4,508

0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 BAM 2.63

$1.38 COP 4,922

13.04%

Eggs

$3.00 BAM 5.04

$2.19 COP 7,827

36.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 BAM 15.72

$4.40 COP 15.7K

112.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.56 BAM 14.39

$5.63 COP 20.1K

52.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 BAM 20.33

$8.89 COP 31.8K

36.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$2.34 COP 8,349

-38.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.74

$1.06 COP 3,777

53.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BAM 3.26

$1.50 COP 5,374

29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 BAM 3.39

$1.38 COP 4,924

46.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$1.15 COP 4,111

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 BAM 2.13

$1.16 COP 4,155

9.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$0.89 COP 3,182

37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BAM 1.29

$0.84 COP 2,997

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.33

$2.28 COP 8,145

65.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 BAM 13.85

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-22.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.19

$1.20 COP 4,284

-40.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 BAM 1.91

$2.47 COP 8,824

-53.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 BAM 2.95

$0.86 COP 3,056

104.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.83 BAM 60.2

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-13.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 BAM 2.52

$1.47 COP 5,264

2.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 BAM 1.94

$1.96 COP 7,009

-41.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 BAM 14.74

$7.74 COP 27.6K

13.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 BAM 2.47

$0.95 COP 3,409

54.74%

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

$28.7K BAM 48.2K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

58.22%

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

$26.4K BAM 44.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-0.43%

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

$169 BAM 284

$82.3 COP 293.7K

105.51%

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

$18.80 BAM 31.59

$9.50 COP 33.9K

97.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 BAM 39.66

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-2.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.62 BAM 49.76

$25.89 COP 92.4K

14.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.09 BAM 18.64

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-41.63%

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 BAM 4.87

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-26.21%

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

$240 BAM 404

$309 COP 1.1M

-22.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,688 BAM 6,196

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-38.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.5 BAM 125

$58.7 COP 209.5K

26.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.25 BAM 62.6

$32.35 COP 115.5K

15.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 BAM 151

$103 COP 366.4K

-12.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 BAM 206

$108 COP 387.2K

13.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 BAM 436

$476 COP 1.7M

-45.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 BAM 280

$379 COP 1.4M

-56.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 BAM 607

$838 COP 3.0M

-56.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 BAM 538

$724 COP 2.6M

-55.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,375 BAM 3,991

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-14.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 BAM 3,061

$1,211 COP 4.3M

50.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.02

13.43

-62.62%

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

Last update for Zepce: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Zepce 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Zepce versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $188 – making Medellin 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

Zepce vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,512 per month in Zepce 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 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 $41.00 in Zepce and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Zepce. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zepce, where all-in costs run around $1,008, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.