Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $562 per month in Arusha vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $905 per month in Arusha vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,248 per month in Arusha vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Arusha is about 67% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arusha sits 59% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 TZS 9,091

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-56.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.10 TZS 73.9K

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-41.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 TZS 24.0K

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-6.65%

Cappuccino

$1.78 TZS 4,680

$2.91 COP 9,167

-38.83%

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

$0.90 TZS 2,377

$1.94 COP 6,122

-53.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 TZS 800

$1.52 COP 4,792

-80.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 TZS 2,734

$3.09 COP 9,740

-66.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 TZS 7,348

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-51.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 TZS 2,552

$1.36 COP 4,296

-28.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 TZS 1,706

$2.39 COP 7,519

-72.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 TZS 4,347

$1.70 COP 5,356

-2.94%

Eggs

$1.67 TZS 4,387

$2.87 COP 9,038

-41.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.4K

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 TZS 5,832

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-45.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,950

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,695

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 TZS 1,900

$2.21 COP 6,972

-67.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 TZS 1,276

$2.05 COP 6,447

-76.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 TZS 2,810

$1.50 COP 4,737

-28.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,747

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 TZS 2,242

$1.16 COP 3,647

-26.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 TZS 4,077

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-60.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 TZS 2,442

$1.58 COP 4,987

-41.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 TZS 2,619

$2.83 COP 8,905

-64.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 TZS 481

$1.17 COP 3,679

-84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.63 TZS 20.1K

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-11.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 TZS 3,387

$1.30 COP 4,088

-0.77%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

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

$28.92 TZS 76.0K

$176 COP 554.5K

-83.57%

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

$8.68 TZS 22.8K

$13.37 COP 42.1K

-35.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.20 TZS 126.7K

$29.89 COP 94.1K

61.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.7 TZS 170.1K

$44.76 COP 141.0K

44.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-24.68%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,465 TZS 19.6M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-17.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 429.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 TZS 757.7K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-72.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 TZS 609.7K

$680 COP 2.1M

-65.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 TZS 1.3M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-75.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 TZS 1.4M

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-55.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Arusha: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $288 in Arusha versus $1,060 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 $28.00 in Arusha versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $65.0 vs $303 – making Arusha 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

Arusha vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $562 in Arusha, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 206% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $842 per month in Arusha and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arusha, 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 $28.00 in Arusha and $48.00 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 $562 in Arusha and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arusha, where all-in costs run around $562, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $562 in Arusha to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Arusha. 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.