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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $201 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $358 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 403% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Arusha 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.40 TZS 8,767

76.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

17.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

-22.00%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.70 TZS 4,382

0.59%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.43 TZS 1,113

155.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.31 TZS 799

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.08 TZS 2,790

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.98 TZS 7,677

3.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.63 TZS 1,634

73.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.60 TZS 1,554

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.91 TZS 2,336

51.65%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.70 TZS 4,384

28.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.79 TZS 2,027

74.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.41 TZS 1,048

180.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.00 TZS 2,571

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.47 TZS 1,212

78.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.19 TZS 497

352.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.94 TZS 4,992

1.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

3.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.23 TZS 3,184

-22.76%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

0.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

-51.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

-1.01%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

-42.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$294 TZS 759.3K

184.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arusha: June 2, 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: $188 vs $36.00 – 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $201 in Arusha – roughly 403% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $302 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $201 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 $201, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $201 in Arusha to $1,013 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.