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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $697 in Ariana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,084 in Ariana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,470 in Ariana, rent included.

Medellin costs about 146% more than Ariana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Ariana is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$4.20 TND 12.13

91.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$20.92 TND 60.5

130.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$5.07 TND 14.65

92.70%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$0.92 TND 2.66

216.30%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.61 TND 1.75

218.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.31 TND 0.91

390.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$1.64 TND 4.74

88.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$2.01 TND 5.80

185.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$0.51 TND 1.49

166.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.26 TND 0.75

819.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.34 TND 3.89

26.87%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$1.53 TND 4.42

87.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$7.15 TND 20.67

39.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$6.11 TND 17.68

76.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$14.47 TND 41.84

1.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.80 TND 5.20

127.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.78 TND 8.05

-43.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$1.20 TND 3.48

77.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$0.75 TND 2.18

194.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.86 TND 2.50

138.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.69 TND 2.01

117.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.53 TND 1.53

124.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.33 TND 0.96

251.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.66 TND 10.58

6.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$6.81 TND 19.68

112.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.36 TND 3.93

16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$1.57 TND 4.53

80.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.33 TND 0.94

254.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$10.13 TND 29.28

667.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$0.33 TND 0.94

287.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.35 TND 1.02

497.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$4.29 TND 12.40

100.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.84 TND 2.42

54.76%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$37.2K TND 107.5K

-25.58%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$35.1K TND 101.6K

1.12%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$68.7 TND 199

156.21%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$9.95 TND 28.77

34.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$20.43 TND 59.1

46.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$31.80 TND 92.0

40.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$17.36 TND 50.2

-1.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$4.67 TND 13.49

32.76%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$112 TND 324

608.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$3,265 TND 9,441

176.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$38.58 TND 112

121.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$58.2 TND 168

0.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$92.3 TND 267

47.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$67.8 TND 196

52.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$250 TND 724

323.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$159 TND 461

326.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$443 TND 1,282

354.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$302 TND 874

286.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,141 TND 3,300

260.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$733 TND 2,120

132.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$338 TND 977

96.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

13.15

-16.81%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ariana: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $250 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 97% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Ariana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $183 – 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: $1,716 in Medellin, $697 in Ariana – roughly 146% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,045 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 66% 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $21.00 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 $697, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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 $697 in Ariana to $1,716 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.