Cost of Living Comparison Between Zouk Mikael and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Zouk Mikael and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,108 per month in Zouk Mikael vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,717 per month in Zouk Mikael vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,326 per month in Zouk Mikael vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Zouk Mikael costs about 9% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zouk Mikael and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zouk Mikael 18% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 LBP 952.5K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

78.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 LBP 5.3M

$33.33 COP 116.3K

78.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 LBP 709.9K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

9.68%

Cappuccino

$3.31 LBP 295.9K

$1.63 COP 5,687

103.07%

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

$1.56 LBP 139.9K

$1.09 COP 3,821

43.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 LBP 79.0K

$0.73 COP 2,548

20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 LBP 304.9K

$1.74 COP 6,065

95.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 LBP 435.0K

$3.23 COP 11.3K

50.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LBP 152.6K

$1.05 COP 3,662

62.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 LBP 28.8K

$1.29 COP 4,515

-75.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 LBP 162.1K

$1.32 COP 4,617

37.12%

Eggs

$3.23 LBP 288.8K

$2.27 COP 7,927

42.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.14 LBP 460.3K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

18.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.72 LBP 869.6K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

65.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 LBP 1.0M

$8.61 COP 30.0K

32.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 156.0K

$2.25 COP 7,844

-22.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 LBP 130.7K

$1.07 COP 3,733

36.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.1K

$1.52 COP 5,322

-24.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 LBP 94.6K

$1.42 COP 4,964

-25.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 LBP 36.7K

$1.17 COP 4,084

-64.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.3K

$1.17 COP 4,077

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

$0.89 COP 3,096

-8.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.9K

$0.90 COP 3,146

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 LBP 227.8K

$2.25 COP 7,837

12.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 LBP 893.5K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-9.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 LBP 76.4K

$1.14 COP 3,977

-25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 LBP 190.3K

$2.38 COP 8,301

-10.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 LBP 454.1K

$1.41 COP 4,912

259.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 LBP 113.3K

$1.90 COP 6,634

-33.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

$7.75 COP 27.0K

158.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 LBP 84.8K

$1.01 COP 3,509

-5.94%

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

$35.6K LBP 3.2B

$17.6K COP 61.4M

102.42%

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

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

$26.5K COP 92.5M

4.25%

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

$167 LBP 15.0M

$83.7 COP 292.1K

99.86%

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

$37.25 LBP 3.3M

$9.45 COP 33.0K

294.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.13 LBP 3.3M

$24.11 COP 84.1K

54.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 LBP 704.6K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

91.95%

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

$306 LBP 27.4M

$312 COP 1.1M

-1.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,512 LBP 403.8M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-24.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 LBP 6.5M

$58.0 COP 202.6K

24.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.72 LBP 4.1M

$32.56 COP 113.6K

40.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 LBP 6.6M

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-25.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 LBP 8.5M

$109 COP 378.8K

-12.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 LBP 43.9M

$482 COP 1.7M

1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 LBP 27.3M

$379 COP 1.3M

-19.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 LBP 90.0M

$837 COP 2.9M

20.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 LBP 44.9M

$723 COP 2.5M

-30.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

13.43

-68.35%

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

Last update for Zouk Mikael: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Zouk Mikael versus $482 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 $59.0 in Zouk Mikael versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $190 – 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

Zouk Mikael vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zouk Mikael is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,663 per month in Zouk Mikael and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $59.0 in Zouk Mikael and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Zouk Mikael, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Zouk Mikael at $1,108. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zouk Mikael it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zouk Mikael makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.