Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ben Arous Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ben Arous

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $660 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,058 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,456 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Medellin costs about 57% more than Ben Arous, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Ben Arous are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ben Arous 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.41 TND 9.87

73.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$21.63 TND 62.5

51.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.14 TND 11.97

73.91%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$0.77 TND 2.24

120.78%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.65 TND 1.87

69.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.26 TND 0.74

176.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.48 TND 4.29

12.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.00 TND 5.77

55.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.49 TND 1.40

116.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.18 TND 0.51

594.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.63 TND 4.72

-14.72%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.59 TND 4.59

42.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.17 TND 32.27

-61.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.10 TND 17.64

-4.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$14.76 TND 42.66

-40.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.08 TND 6.01

7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.96 TND 8.56

-63.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.13 TND 3.25

35.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.72 TND 2.08

90.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.75 TND 2.16

50.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.72 TND 2.08

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.43 TND 1.24

97.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.30 TND 0.86

203.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.53 TND 10.20

-33.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.83 TND 22.62

42.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.14 TND 3.30

4.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.23 TND 3.56

92.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.42 TND 1.22

88.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$13.62 TND 39.37

201.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.32 TND 0.94

350.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.33 TND 0.96

478.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.30 TND 9.54

143.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.83 TND 2.39

13.25%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$40.6K TND 117.2K

-55.81%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$34.4K TND 99.4K

-22.11%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$48.91 TND 141

71.66%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.89 TND 28.59

-2.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$20.99 TND 60.7

15.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$32.32 TND 93.4

-19.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$17.21 TND 49.74

10.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.93 TND 14.24

-20.49%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$107 TND 308

187.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,513 TND 7,262

135.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$44.31 TND 128

30.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$44.45 TND 128

-28.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$94.9 TND 274

5.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$78.3 TND 226

36.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$185 TND 536

162.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$138 TND 398

167.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$378 TND 1,094

118.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$268 TND 774

167.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$942 TND 2,721

210.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$434 TND 1,255

223.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$254 TND 733

115.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.96

22.54%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $185 in Ben Arous. 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 115% 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 $22.00 in Ben Arous. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $197 in Ben Arous – 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 Ben Arous: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $660 in Ben Arous – roughly 57% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $990 in Ben Arous. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ben Arous, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $22.00 in Ben Arous. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $660 in Ben Arous. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ben Arous, where all-in costs run around $660, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Ben Arous 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 $660 in Ben Arous to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Ben Arous. 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.