Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ariana Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ariana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $690 in Ariana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,091 in Ariana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,493 in Ariana, rent included.

Medellin costs about 49% more than Ariana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Ariana are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ariana 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.98 TND 11.64

54.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$16.68 TND 48.80

95.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.97 TND 14.55

47.69%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.74 TND 2.18

132.43%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.64 TND 1.87

64.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.23 TND 0.67

234.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.50 TND 4.40

12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.94 TND 5.66

63.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.54 TND 1.59

94.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.20 TND 0.58

550.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.50 TND 4.39

-6.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.54 TND 4.52

40.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.60 TND 31.01

-58.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.01 TND 17.59

-2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.62 TND 39.87

-36.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.01 TND 5.89

13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.98 TND 8.71

-62.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.14 TND 3.32

34.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.70 TND 2.04

92.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.74 TND 2.18

52.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.68 TND 1.99

66.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.51 TND 1.50

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.31 TND 0.92

193.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.50 TND 10.24

-33.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.79 TND 19.88

82.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.34 TND 3.91

-10.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.62 TND 4.75

53.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.35 TND 1.03

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$9.98 TND 29.20

306.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.32 TND 0.95

343.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.31 TND 0.90

519.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.36 TND 12.75

75.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.89 TND 2.60

11.24%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$37.8K TND 110.5K

-52.28%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$35.4K TND 103.5K

-24.72%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$59.1 TND 173

36.64%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.90 TND 28.97

0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$21.36 TND 62.5

13.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$32.08 TND 93.9

-21.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$17.03 TND 49.82

12.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.53 TND 13.26

-12.14%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$110 TND 322

177.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,368 TND 9,855

79.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$44.19 TND 129

31.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$57.7 TND 169

-44.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$95.4 TND 279

5.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$68.0 TND 199

58.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$239 TND 700

99.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$161 TND 472

133.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$440 TND 1,287

92.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$298 TND 871

145.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,105 TND 3,233

191.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$741 TND 2,169

85.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$334 TND 978

84.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.15

2.13%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ariana: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $239 in Ariana. 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 84% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Ariana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $191 – making Ariana 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

Medellin vs Ariana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $690 in Ariana – roughly 49% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,035 in Ariana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ariana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in Ariana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ariana, where all-in costs run around $690, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Ariana 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 $690 in Ariana to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ariana. 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.