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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $200 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $357 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 415% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Arusha 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.38 TZS 8,877

82.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$28.02 TZS 73.5K

16.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

-19.87%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.74 TZS 4,574

-1.15%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.43 TZS 1,127

144.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.33 TZS 878

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.08 TZS 2,832

56.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.83 TZS 7,424

12.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.64 TZS 1,691

64.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.57 TZS 1,492

128.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.89 TZS 2,325

57.30%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.72 TZS 4,500

25.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.75 TZS 1,967

80.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.41 TZS 1,066

175.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.98 TZS 2,572

15.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.46 TZS 1,217

97.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.19 TZS 506

342.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.93 TZS 5,061

-0.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.81 TZS 20.5K

-1.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.19 TZS 3,125

-16.81%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.46 TZS 24.8K

5.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$50.7 TZS 133.1K

-52.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.76 TZS 9,879

5.85%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$10.2K TZS 26.9M

-40.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$289 TZS 757.2K

192.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arusha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $35.00 – 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $200 in Arusha – roughly 415% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $300 in Arusha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $200 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 $200, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $200 in Arusha to $1,031 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.