Cost of Living Comparison Between Benghazi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Benghazi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $439 per month in Benghazi vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $706 per month in Benghazi vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $973 per month in Benghazi vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Benghazi is about 57% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Benghazi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Benghazi 67% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Benghazi
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.69 LYD 17.15
$6.16 COP 20.1K
-56.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.71 LYD 93.7
$32.60 COP 106.1K
-54.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.71 LYD 17.28
$7.34 COP 23.9K
-63.08%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.53 LYD 3.37
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 LYD 2.26
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.68 LYD 4.31
$1.72 COP 5,600
-60.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 LYD 2.57
$1.05 COP 3,420
-61.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 LYD 0.96
$0.77 COP 2,515
-80.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.69 COP 5,488
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.17 COP 10.3K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Benghazi
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 LYD 5.72
$1.05 COP 3,423
-14.29%
White Bread (500g)
$0.23 LYD 1.47
$1.30 COP 4,236
-82.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.66 LYD 4.17
$1.40 COP 4,544
-52.86%
Eggs
$1.32 LYD 8.41
$2.16 COP 7,047
-38.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.14 LYD 39.13
$4.39 COP 14.3K
39.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.71 LYD 23.64
$5.88 COP 19.1K
-36.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.63 LYD 55.0
$8.64 COP 28.1K
-0.12%
Apples (1kg)
$1.42 LYD 9.05
$2.28 COP 7,426
-37.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.18 LYD 7.54
$1.11 COP 3,604
6.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.68 LYD 4.34
$1.53 COP 4,983
-55.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.49 LYD 3.11
$1.35 COP 4,410
-63.70%
Potato (1kg)
$0.49 LYD 3.09
$1.13 COP 3,674
-56.64%
Onion (1kg)
$0.44 LYD 2.83
$1.13 COP 3,692
-61.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.27 LYD 1.72
$0.85 COP 2,753
-68.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.22 LYD 1.40
$0.91 COP 2,975
-75.82%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.33 LYD 14.83
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 LYD 4.54
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 LYD 4.27
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.79 LYD 17.80
$2.34 COP 7,630
19.23%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$12.37 COP 40.3K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.20 COP 3,909
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.49 COP 8,104
-
🚌 Getting Around
Benghazi
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 LYD 5.96
$0.84 COP 2,728
11.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.20 LYD 58.6
$40.57 COP 132.1K
-77.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.91 LYD 5.77
$1.42 COP 4,623
-35.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 LYD 9.43
$1.92 COP 6,235
-22.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.91 LYD 24.89
$7.66 COP 24.9K
-48.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.03 LYD 0.21
$0.99 COP 3,223
-96.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.4K LYD 104.8K
$18.0K COP 58.7M
-8.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$14.8K LYD 94.1K
$26.6K COP 86.7M
-44.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Benghazi
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$14.44 LYD 92.0
$80.8 COP 263.1K
-82.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.16 LYD 45.60
$9.95 COP 32.4K
-28.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.89 LYD 216
$24.18 COP 78.7K
40.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Benghazi
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.05 LYD 121
$25.08 COP 81.7K
-24.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.56 LYD 67.3
$19.15 COP 62.3K
-44.86%
Cinema Ticket
$4.71 LYD 29.98
$3.98 COP 13.0K
18.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Benghazi
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$60.0 LYD 382
$305 COP 993.5K
-80.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$869 LYD 5,534
$6,059 COP 19.7M
-85.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Benghazi
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.57 LYD 176
$58.1 COP 189.2K
-52.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.98 LYD 185
$32.20 COP 104.8K
-10.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$48.49 LYD 309
$101 COP 327.9K
-51.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$63.3 LYD 403
$108 COP 350.8K
-41.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Benghazi
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$194 LYD 1,238
$477 COP 1.6M
-59.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$115 LYD 731
$376 COP 1.2M
-69.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$378 LYD 2,409
$845 COP 2.7M
-55.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$231 LYD 1,472
$730 COP 2.4M
-68.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,215 COP 10.5M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,372 COP 4.5M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Benghazi
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$263 LYD 1,675
$617 COP 2.0M
-57.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
25
13.43
86.15%

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

Last update for Benghazi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Benghazi versus $477 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 135% 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 $15.00 in Benghazi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $193 – making Benghazi 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
Benghazi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Benghazi and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $439 in Benghazi, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 135% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Benghazi compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $659 per month in Benghazi and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Benghazi and Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Benghazi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 79% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Benghazi and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benghazi, where all-in costs run around $439, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Benghazi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Benghazi and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $439 in Benghazi to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Benghazi and Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Benghazi. 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.

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