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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $700 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,113 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,525 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Medellin costs about 140% more than Ben Arous, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Ben Arous is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$5.47 TND 15.85

46.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$20.21 TND 58.6

136.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.18 TND 15.02

90.93%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.15 TND 3.34

172.17%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.63 TND 1.82

203.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.26 TND 0.75

480.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.75 TND 5.07

78.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.06 TND 5.98

179.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.52 TND 1.50

176.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.10 TND 0.29

2390.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.76 TND 5.11

0.57%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.47 TND 4.26

101.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.69 TND 31.01

-5.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.14 TND 17.82

64.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$16.17 TND 46.90

-11.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.70 TND 4.92

143.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$4.67 TND 13.56

-65.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.99 TND 2.87

127.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.72 TND 2.10

212.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.71 TND 2.05

187.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.68 TND 1.96

126.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.49 TND 1.43

138.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.33 TND 0.96

296.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.66 TND 10.62

6.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$6.96 TND 20.18

101.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.96 TND 2.77

81.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.21 TND 3.52

137.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.36 TND 1.06

238.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$13.53 TND 39.25

494.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.30 TND 0.86

336.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.33 TND 0.97

563.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.81 TND 5.26

381.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.88 TND 2.56

55.68%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$40.6K TND 117.6K

-31.36%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$23.5K TND 68.3K

51.92%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$55.9 TND 162

217.34%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$10.43 TND 30.27

33.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$20.74 TND 60.2

43.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$33.68 TND 97.7

33.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$17.05 TND 49.46

0.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.10 TND 14.79

30.39%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$63.4 TND 184

1183.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,979 TND 5,741

364.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$47.55 TND 138

88.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$65.5 TND 190

-9.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$89.1 TND 258

55.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$46.99 TND 136

117.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$218 TND 634

386.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$157 TND 456

321.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$382 TND 1,108

394.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$277 TND 804

270.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$950 TND 2,754

340.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$419 TND 1,215

299.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$255 TND 740

165.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.28

6.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $218 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 166% 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 $20.00 in Ben Arous. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $205 – making Ben Arous 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 Ben Arous: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $700 in Ben Arous – roughly 140% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,050 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $20.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $700 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 $700, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $700 in Ben Arous to $1,681 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.