Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Benghazi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Benghazi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $424 in Benghazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $722 in Benghazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,021 in Benghazi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 305% more than Benghazi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Benghazi is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$2.42 LYD 15.31

231.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$12.52 LYD 79.3

285.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$2.37 LYD 15.01

312.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 LYD 13.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LYD 2.57

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$0.64 LYD 4.07

354.69%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.44 LYD 2.77

340.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.13 LYD 0.83

1069.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$0.82 LYD 5.22

65.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.19 LYD 1.20

1157.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.35 LYD 8.54

25.93%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$1.66 LYD 10.49

72.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$6.33 LYD 40.11

57.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$2.74 LYD 17.34

293.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$11.59 LYD 73.4

27.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.27 LYD 14.39

80.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.73 LYD 10.94

-9.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$1.15 LYD 7.26

85.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$0.75 LYD 4.77

194.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.86 LYD 5.47

138.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.65 LYD 4.13

130.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.34 LYD 2.17

250.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.23 LYD 1.46

404.35%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.39 LYD 15.12

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LYD 3.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 LYD 5.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.91 LYD 12.08

104.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$1.60 LYD 10.11

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.30 LYD 1.88

596.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.02 LYD 0.11

6400.00%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$12.8K LYD 81.1K

116.05%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$14.9K LYD 94.6K

137.67%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$4.55 LYD 28.83

193.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$19.14 LYD 121

56.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$17.52 LYD 111

155.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$3.96 LYD 25.07

330.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$6.42 LYD 40.66

-3.43%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$77.3 LYD 489

926.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$358 LYD 2,269

2417.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$42.91 LYD 272

99.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$34.87 LYD 221

67.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$44.06 LYD 279

209.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$68.2 LYD 432

51.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$192 LYD 1,213

453.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$120 LYD 760

466.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$429 LYD 2,718

368.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$259 LYD 1,640

351.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$267 LYD 1,692

149.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Benghazi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $192 in Benghazi. 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 149% 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 $13.00 in Benghazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $128 – making Benghazi 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 Benghazi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,716 in Medellin, $424 in Benghazi – roughly 305% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $636 in Benghazi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $424 in Benghazi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $77.3 in Benghazi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benghazi, where all-in costs run around $424, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Benghazi 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 $424 in Benghazi to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Benghazi. 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.