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: $629 in Carthage versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,053 in Carthage versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,476 in Carthage versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 39% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Carthage 53% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 TND 14.31

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-18.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.25 TND 71.5

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-22.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 TND 14.34

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-31.06%

Cappuccino

$1.07 TND 3.04

$1.72 COP 5,600

-37.79%

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

$0.71 TND 2.02

$1.05 COP 3,420

-32.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.73

$0.77 COP 2,515

-66.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 TND 4.88

$1.69 COP 5,488

1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 TND 5.59

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-37.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.47 TND 1.32

$1.05 COP 3,423

-55.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.55

$1.30 COP 4,236

-84.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 TND 4.83

$1.40 COP 4,544

21.43%

Eggs

$1.64 TND 4.65

$2.16 COP 7,047

-24.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 TND 30.15

$4.39 COP 14.3K

142.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 TND 17.10

$5.88 COP 19.1K

2.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 TND 41.19

$8.64 COP 28.1K

68.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 TND 5.70

$2.28 COP 7,426

-11.84%

Banana (1kg)

$3.40 TND 9.63

$1.11 COP 3,604

206.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.19

$1.53 COP 4,983

-26.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 TND 2.08

$1.35 COP 4,410

-45.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.12

$1.13 COP 3,674

-33.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 TND 1.84

$1.13 COP 3,692

-42.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.22

$0.85 COP 2,753

-49.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.81

$0.91 COP 2,975

-68.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 TND 9.71

$2.34 COP 7,630

46.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.88 TND 19.51

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-44.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 TND 3.82

$1.20 COP 3,909

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 TND 3.56

$2.49 COP 8,104

-49.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 TND 0.92

$0.84 COP 2,728

-60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 TND 20.93

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-81.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.91

$1.42 COP 4,623

-77.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.94

$1.92 COP 6,235

-82.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 TND 9.65

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-55.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 TND 2.32

$0.99 COP 3,223

-17.17%

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

$41.4K TND 117.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

129.37%

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

$36.0K TND 102.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

35.21%

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

$45.15 TND 128

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-44.13%

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

$9.42 TND 26.68

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-5.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 TND 51.9

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-24.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 TND 107

$25.08 COP 81.7K

51.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.32 TND 37.74

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-30.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 TND 14.64

$3.98 COP 13.0K

29.90%

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

$109 TND 309

$305 COP 993.5K

-64.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,309 TND 9,377

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-45.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.19 TND 131

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-20.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 TND 171

$32.20 COP 104.8K

86.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 TND 276

$101 COP 327.9K

-3.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.7 TND 186

$108 COP 350.8K

-38.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 TND 475

$477 COP 1.6M

-64.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TND 287

$376 COP 1.2M

-73.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 TND 862

$845 COP 2.7M

-63.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 TND 676

$730 COP 2.4M

-67.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$957 TND 2,712

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-70.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$626 TND 1,773

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-54.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 TND 764

$617 COP 2.0M

-56.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

13.43

-18.39%

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

Last update for Carthage: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $168 in Carthage and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 129% 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: $25.00 in Carthage vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 64% in total monthly costs ($629 vs $1,031 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 129% 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: $168 in Carthage versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Carthage – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $629 in Carthage versus $1,031 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 64% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.