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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $647 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,063 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,479 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Medellin costs about 55% more than Ben Arous, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Ben Arous are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Ben Arous 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.47 TND 10.17

70.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$21.78 TND 63.9

51.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.21 TND 12.36

76.48%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.77 TND 2.26

114.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.65 TND 1.90

69.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.26 TND 0.75

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.48 TND 4.34

16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.92 TND 5.62

65.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.49 TND 1.43

124.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.17 TND 0.51

641.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.62 TND 4.74

-14.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.58 TND 4.63

37.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.20 TND 32.86

-59.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.31 TND 18.51

-8.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$14.92 TND 43.77

-39.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.09 TND 6.14

11.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.97 TND 8.72

-64.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.17 TND 3.44

29.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.71 TND 2.09

91.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.80 TND 2.35

41.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.76 TND 2.24

53.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.46 TND 1.36

95.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.32 TND 0.94

181.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.51 TND 10.30

-36.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.58 TND 19.30

84.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.09 TND 3.21

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.26 TND 3.69

96.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.42 TND 1.24

102.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$13.33 TND 39.13

212.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.30 TND 0.87

373.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.33 TND 0.98

490.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.43 TND 10.05

130.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.88 TND 2.57

12.50%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$40.6K TND 119.0K

-56.60%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$34.2K TND 100.4K

-21.70%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$48.99 TND 144

69.44%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$10.12 TND 29.69

-4.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$20.98 TND 61.6

12.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$32.65 TND 95.8

-22.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$16.77 TND 49.21

13.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.96 TND 14.57

-20.36%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$110 TND 321

188.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$2,449 TND 7,187

143.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$44.12 TND 129

35.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$44.03 TND 129

-27.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$97.7 TND 287

4.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$80.7 TND 237

33.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$185 TND 542

156.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$137 TND 403

172.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$369 TND 1,084

129.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$275 TND 808

161.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$933 TND 2,739

249.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$425 TND 1,248

238.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$257 TND 755

142.59%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 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 143% 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 – $193 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $647 in Ben Arous – roughly 55% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $971 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $647 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 $647, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $647 in Ben Arous to $1,003 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.