Cost of Living Comparison Between Carthage and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Carthage and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $725 in Carthage versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,146 in Carthage versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,567 in Carthage versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 58% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Carthage is 47% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 TND 13.19

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-43.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.03 TND 63.7

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-54.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 TND 17.23

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-39.00%

Cappuccino

$1.06 TND 3.06

$2.91 COP 9,149

-63.57%

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

$0.80 TND 2.32

$1.94 COP 6,110

-58.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 TND 0.87

$1.52 COP 4,783

-80.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 TND 4.88

$3.09 COP 9,721

-45.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 TND 6.14

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-63.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.48

$1.36 COP 4,287

-62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 TND 0.72

$2.39 COP 7,505

-89.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 TND 5.23

$1.70 COP 5,346

6.47%

Eggs

$1.70 TND 4.92

$2.87 COP 9,021

-40.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 TND 30.15

$9.94 COP 31.2K

4.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 TND 16.97

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-45.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 TND 42.81

$14.73 COP 46.3K

0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 TND 4.10

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-65.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.86 TND 11.16

$1.57 COP 4,940

145.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 TND 3.31

$2.13 COP 6,682

-46.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.15

$2.21 COP 6,959

-66.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 TND 2.44

$2.05 COP 6,435

-59.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 TND 1.91

$1.50 COP 4,728

-56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 TND 1.49

$1.19 COP 3,740

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$1.16 COP 3,640

-73.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 TND 10.85

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-3.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 TND 19.43

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-53.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 TND 3.82

$1.58 COP 4,978

-16.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 TND 3.80

$2.83 COP 8,889

-53.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 TND 1.29

$1.17 COP 3,672

-61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.31 TND 41.39

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-81.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.85

$1.28 COP 4,038

-76.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.95

$2.09 COP 6,576

-84.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 TND 5.47

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-78.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 TND 2.61

$1.30 COP 4,080

-30.77%

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

$41.1K TND 119.0K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

48.76%

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

$36.7K TND 106.0K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

3.23%

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

$47.11 TND 136

$176 COP 553.4K

-73.24%

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

$8.59 TND 24.84

$13.37 COP 42.0K

-35.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.79 TND 60.1

$29.89 COP 94.0K

-30.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.90 TND 95.2

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-26.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.55 TND 39.19

$17.06 COP 53.6K

-20.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 TND 14.71

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-17.90%

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

$114 TND 330

$793 COP 2.5M

-85.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,928 TND 11.4K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-56.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 TND 148

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-40.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 TND 193

$58.5 COP 183.8K

14.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 TND 324

$136 COP 428.4K

-17.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 TND 176

$103 COP 324.1K

-41.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 TND 632

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-79.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 TND 474

$680 COP 2.1M

-75.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 TND 631

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-89.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 TND 837

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-75.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$989 TND 2,861

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-75.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$648 TND 1,875

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-61.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 TND 803

$665 COP 2.1M

-58.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.28

10.94

-6.03%

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

Last update for Carthage: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $219 in Carthage and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 139% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $22.00 in Carthage vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $303 per month, with Carthage cheaper across the board.

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

Carthage vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Carthage and Medellin differ by about 137% in total monthly costs ($725 vs $1,716 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 139% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $219 in Carthage versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Carthage – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $725 in Carthage versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Carthage but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Carthage the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Carthage gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.