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: $650 in Carthage versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,056 in Carthage versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,462 in Carthage versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 36% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Carthage 52% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 TND 14.55

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-16.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.83 TND 75.0

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-21.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 TND 15.14

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-26.38%

Cappuccino

$1.06 TND 3.08

$1.71 COP 6,115

-38.01%

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

$0.70 TND 2.04

$1.10 COP 3,924

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 TND 0.82

$0.78 COP 2,781

-64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 TND 4.87

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 TND 5.57

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-37.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$1.09 COP 3,906

-55.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.58

$1.26 COP 4,508

-84.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 TND 5.04

$1.38 COP 4,922

26.09%

Eggs

$1.64 TND 4.77

$2.19 COP 7,827

-25.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 TND 30.39

$4.40 COP 15.7K

137.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 TND 17.75

$5.63 COP 20.1K

8.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 TND 43.21

$8.89 COP 31.8K

67.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 TND 5.88

$2.34 COP 8,349

-13.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 TND 10.24

$1.06 COP 3,777

233.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.26

$1.50 COP 5,374

-25.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.14

$1.38 COP 4,924

-46.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 TND 2.27

$1.15 COP 4,111

-32.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 TND 1.92

$1.16 COP 4,155

-43.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 TND 1.34

$0.89 COP 3,182

-48.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$0.84 COP 2,997

-63.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 TND 10.32

$2.28 COP 8,145

56.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.78 TND 22.59

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-26.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 TND 3.77

$1.20 COP 4,284

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 TND 3.65

$2.47 COP 8,824

-48.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 TND 1.03

$0.86 COP 3,056

-58.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.26 TND 21.08

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-82.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$1.47 COP 5,264

-78.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$1.96 COP 7,009

-84.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 TND 9.79

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-56.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 TND 2.41

$0.95 COP 3,409

-12.63%

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

$40.3K TND 117.1K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

122.51%

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

$36.2K TND 105.1K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

36.64%

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

$45.69 TND 133

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-44.45%

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

$9.47 TND 27.50

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-0.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.94 TND 55.0

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-21.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.63 TND 109

$25.89 COP 92.4K

45.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.48 TND 39.15

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-29.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 TND 15.41

$3.93 COP 14.0K

35.11%

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

$109 TND 316

$309 COP 1.1M

-64.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,369 TND 9,781

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-43.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.85 TND 130

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-23.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 TND 178

$32.35 COP 115.5K

90.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 TND 282

$103 COP 366.4K

-5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 TND 191

$108 COP 387.2K

-39.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 TND 487

$476 COP 1.7M

-64.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.8 TND 290

$379 COP 1.4M

-73.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 TND 874

$838 COP 3.0M

-64.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 TND 695

$724 COP 2.6M

-66.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$867 TND 2,519

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-68.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$413 TND 1,198

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-65.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 TND 807

$512 COP 1.8M

-45.70%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $168 in Carthage and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 84% 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: $26.00 in Carthage vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $188, 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 56% in total monthly costs ($650 vs $1,013 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 84% less. 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 $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 6% 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 $26.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $650 in Carthage versus $1,013 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 56% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.