Cost of Living Comparison Between Zugdidi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Zugdidi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $630 per month in Zugdidi vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,035 per month in Zugdidi vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,440 per month in Zugdidi vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Zugdidi is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Zugdidi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zugdidi 53% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.87 ₾28.86

$5.99 COP 21.3K

81.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.77 ₾76.4

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-12.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 ₾14.64

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-22.28%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ₾8.00

$1.71 COP 6,093

76.02%

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

$0.55 ₾1.45

$1.10 COP 3,910

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₾0.66

$0.78 COP 2,771

-67.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.68 COP 5,976

33.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ₾7.84

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-3.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₾5.08

$1.09 COP 3,892

75.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.94

$1.26 COP 4,492

-42.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.83

$1.38 COP 4,905

31.88%

Eggs

$2.47 ₾6.57

$2.19 COP 7,799

12.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 ₾20.02

$4.40 COP 15.7K

71.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 ₾17.13

$5.63 COP 20.0K

14.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$8.89 COP 31.6K

5.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.10

$2.34 COP 8,319

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₾4.16

$1.06 COP 3,764

48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$1.50 COP 5,355

25.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$1.38 COP 4,906

63.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.77

$1.15 COP 4,097

-41.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.16 COP 4,141

-41.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.15

$0.89 COP 3,170

33.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.20

$0.84 COP 2,986

-46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 ₾8.06

$2.28 COP 8,116

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 ₾19.31

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-31.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.22

$1.20 COP 4,268

32.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾6.06

$2.47 COP 8,793

-7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ₾0.42

$0.86 COP 3,045

-81.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ₾3.83

$1.47 COP 5,245

-2.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.83

$1.96 COP 6,984

-64.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.29

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-6.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₾2.20

$0.95 COP 3,397

-12.63%

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

$17.3K ₾45.9K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

-4.68%

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

$19.8K ₾52.7K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-25.13%

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

$71.7 ₾190

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-12.85%

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

$11.80 ₾31.33

$9.50 COP 33.8K

24.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.74

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-27.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.71 ₾63.0

$25.89 COP 92.1K

-8.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 ₾12.33

$3.93 COP 14.0K

18.07%

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

$265 ₾703

$309 COP 1.1M

-14.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,062 ₾13.4K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

-15.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.67 ₾57.5

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-63.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.33 ₾115

$32.35 COP 115.1K

33.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾312

$103 COP 365.1K

14.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ₾299

$108 COP 385.8K

3.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$264 ₾701

$512 COP 1.8M

-48.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

13.43

-11.47%

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

Last update for Zugdidi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 94% 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 $29.00 in Zugdidi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Zugdidi vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Zugdidi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 61%, 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 $944 per month in Zugdidi and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Zugdidi and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zugdidi, where all-in costs run around $630, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Zugdidi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zugdidi – 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 Zugdidi. 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.