Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Beja Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Beja

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $631 in Beja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,092 in Beja, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,554 in Beja, rent included.

Medellin costs about 166% more than Beja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Beja is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$4.18 TND 12.12

91.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$17.37 TND 50.4

175.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.69 TND 13.60

110.87%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$0.64 TND 1.84

389.06%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.54 TND 1.56

253.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.27 TND 0.79

459.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.18 TND 3.41

164.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.73 TND 5.03

232.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.45 TND 1.30

220.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.13 TND 0.38

1815.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.72 TND 5.00

2.91%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.51 TND 4.38

96.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.37 TND 24.27

20.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.57 TND 19.06

54.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$13.75 TND 39.87

4.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.69 TND 4.90

144.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$4.70 TND 13.62

-65.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.15 TND 3.33

95.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.89 TND 2.59

152.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.67 TND 1.93

204.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.62 TND 1.79

148.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.50 TND 1.44

134.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.29 TND 0.84

351.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.47 TND 10.06

12.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$5.17 TND 15.00

170.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.19 TND 3.44

46.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.42 TND 4.12

102.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.39 TND 1.14

212.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$15.57 TND 45.16

416.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.32 TND 0.94

309.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.42 TND 1.22

421.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$5.23 TND 15.16

66.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.78 TND 2.25

75.64%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$39.6K TND 115.0K

-29.78%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$36.8K TND 106.8K

-2.84%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$45.47 TND 132

289.93%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$10.86 TND 31.49

27.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$20.91 TND 60.7

42.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$20.27 TND 58.8

121.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$23.68 TND 68.7

-27.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.50 TND 10.14

90.00%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$61.1 TND 177

1229.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,207 TND 3,502

660.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$56.8 TND 165

57.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$66.2 TND 192

-10.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$110 TND 320

25.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$142 TND 413

-28.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$169 TND 491

527.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$84.5 TND 245

684.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$272 TND 788

594.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$303 TND 879

239.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$410 TND 1,189

920.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$109 TND 318

1429.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$344 TND 997

97.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Beja: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $169 in Beja. 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 $17.00 in Beja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $191 – making Beja 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 Beja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 166% more than Beja, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $946 in Beja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 417% less in Beja. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $61.1 in Beja. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Beja, where all-in costs run around $631, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Beja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Beja costs $631 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Beja. 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.