Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arusha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arusha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $562 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $905 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,248 in Arusha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 206% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Arusha is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$3.46 TZS 9,091

132.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.0K

$28.10 TZS 73.9K

71.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

$9.12 TZS 24.0K

7.13%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,167

$1.78 TZS 4,680

63.48%

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

$1.94 COP 6,122

$0.90 TZS 2,377

115.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,792

$0.30 TZS 800

406.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,740

$1.04 TZS 2,734

197.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$2.79 TZS 7,348

105.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,296

$0.97 TZS 2,552

40.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,519

$0.65 TZS 1,706

267.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,356

$1.65 TZS 4,347

3.03%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,038

$1.67 TZS 4,387

71.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.4K

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$2.22 TZS 5,832

84.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,950

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,695

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,972

$0.72 TZS 1,900

206.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,447

$0.49 TZS 1,276

318.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,737

$1.07 TZS 2,810

40.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,747

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,647

$0.85 TZS 2,242

36.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$1.55 TZS 4,077

151.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

$0.93 TZS 2,442

69.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

$1.00 TZS 2,619

183.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

$0.18 TZS 481

550.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$7.63 TZS 20.1K

12.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,088

$1.29 TZS 3,387

0.78%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

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

$176 COP 554.5K

$28.92 TZS 76.0K

508.82%

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

$13.37 COP 42.1K

$8.68 TZS 22.8K

54.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.1K

$48.20 TZS 126.7K

-37.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

$64.7 TZS 170.1K

-30.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

32.76%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$7,465 TZS 19.6M

20.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 429.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$288 TZS 757.7K

267.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$232 TZS 609.7K

193.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$489 TZS 1.3M

311.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$515 TZS 1.4M

126.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Arusha: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $288 in Arusha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $65.0 – making Arusha 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 Arusha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,716 in Medellin, $562 in Arusha – roughly 206% 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 $842 in Arusha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Arusha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $562 in Arusha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arusha, where all-in costs run around $562, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Arusha 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 $562 in Arusha to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Arusha. 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.