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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $652 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,052 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,451 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Ben Arous, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Ben Arous are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ben Arous 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.41 TND 9.96

74.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$22.33 TND 65.1

49.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.20 TND 12.26

72.14%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$0.71 TND 2.07

129.58%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.61 TND 1.77

78.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.26 TND 0.76

180.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.54 TND 4.49

12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.92 TND 5.60

68.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.49 TND 1.43

114.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.19 TND 0.56

578.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.62 TND 4.73

-18.52%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.57 TND 4.58

44.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.32 TND 33.03

-61.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.16 TND 17.97

-4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$14.68 TND 42.84

-41.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.11 TND 6.14

6.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$3.04 TND 8.85

-64.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.13 TND 3.31

34.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.70 TND 2.06

102.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.75 TND 2.19

56.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.77 TND 2.25

51.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.43 TND 1.26

106.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.29 TND 0.86

210.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.63 TND 10.59

-38.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.85 TND 22.91

40.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.09 TND 3.19

4.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.25 TND 3.65

90.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.39 TND 1.15

115.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$13.72 TND 40.03

205.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.32 TND 0.94

340.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.31 TND 0.89

512.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.43 TND 10.01

125.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.82 TND 2.39

23.17%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$40.5K TND 118.2K

-56.62%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$35.0K TND 102.0K

-24.20%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$49.32 TND 144

69.67%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.74 TND 28.42

-2.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$21.34 TND 62.3

12.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$31.82 TND 92.8

-20.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$17.08 TND 49.83

12.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.10 TND 14.88

-19.61%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$109 TND 319

185.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,528 TND 7,377

137.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$44.77 TND 131

29.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$43.75 TND 128

-25.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$96.6 TND 282

3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$79.0 TND 230

37.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$188 TND 549

156.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$138 TND 403

174.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$366 TND 1,068

128.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$271 TND 790

167.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$953 TND 2,781

197.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$431 TND 1,257

183.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$253 TND 737

114.11%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $188 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 114% 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 $198 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: $1,017 in Medellin, $652 in Ben Arous – roughly 56% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $978 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $652 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 $652, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $652 in Ben Arous to $1,017 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.