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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $678 in Ariana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,077 in Ariana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,475 in Ariana, rent included.

Medellin costs about 49% more than Ariana, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Ariana are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ariana 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.02 TND 11.69

49.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$16.60 TND 48.21

97.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.99 TND 14.50

42.08%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$0.81 TND 2.34

111.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.64 TND 1.85

71.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.23 TND 0.67

239.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.51 TND 4.37

11.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.93 TND 5.60

59.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.50 TND 1.46

118.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.21 TND 0.62

500.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.55 TND 4.51

-10.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.51 TND 4.38

45.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.52 TND 30.53

-58.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.30 TND 18.28

-10.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.66 TND 39.65

-34.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.08 TND 6.05

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.96 TND 8.58

-64.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.16 TND 3.37

29.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.76 TND 2.21

81.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.79 TND 2.30

45.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.67 TND 1.94

73.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.52 TND 1.50

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.29 TND 0.83

189.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.62 TND 10.52

-37.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.62 TND 22.12

39.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.29 TND 3.73

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.57 TND 4.56

57.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.32 TND 0.94

168.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$10.08 TND 29.28

310.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.32 TND 0.94

359.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.33 TND 0.96

493.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.35 TND 12.62

77.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.83 TND 2.40

14.46%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$36.8K TND 106.9K

-50.78%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$35.1K TND 102.0K

-24.63%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$58.7 TND 170

40.17%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.01 TND 29.07

-5.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$20.70 TND 60.1

17.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$32.17 TND 93.4

-19.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$17.08 TND 49.59

11.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.58 TND 13.30

-14.19%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$110 TND 320

180.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,296 TND 9,571

80.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$44.21 TND 128

32.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$58.0 TND 169

-44.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$94.8 TND 275

8.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$66.5 TND 193

63.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$246 TND 713

93.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$157 TND 457

140.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$446 TND 1,296

87.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$294 TND 853

146.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,163 TND 3,376

140.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$733 TND 2,129

65.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$344 TND 998

48.92%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ariana: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $246 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 49% 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. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $194 in Ariana – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,013 in Medellin, $678 in Ariana – roughly 49% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,018 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

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 $678, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $678 in Ariana to $1,013 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.