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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $442 in Benghazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $708 in Benghazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $973 in Benghazi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 129% more than Benghazi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Benghazi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Benghazi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.78 LYD 17.64

115.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$14.40 LYD 91.5

128.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$2.79 LYD 17.69

154.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 LYD 2.28

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$0.64 LYD 4.07

167.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.44 LYD 2.76

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.13 LYD 0.80

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.90 LYD 5.73

21.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.23 LYD 1.46

447.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.65 LYD 4.15

112.31%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.32 LYD 8.37

65.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.06 LYD 38.45

-27.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.60 LYD 22.86

56.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$8.52 LYD 54.1

4.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.42 LYD 8.99

64.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.14 LYD 7.23

-7.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.67 LYD 4.25

123.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.50 LYD 3.16

176.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.52 LYD 3.31

121.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.48 LYD 3.05

141.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.29 LYD 1.86

206.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.22 LYD 1.40

281.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.43 LYD 15.41

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LYD 4.39

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.69 LYD 17.08

-15.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.95 LYD 6.03

-9.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$9.39 LYD 59.6

340.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.89 LYD 5.66

65.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.56 LYD 9.88

25.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.96 LYD 25.12

95.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.03 LYD 0.21

3066.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$16.8K LYD 106.4K

8.21%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$15.1K LYD 95.8K

75.61%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$13.99 LYD 88.8

487.92%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$7.16 LYD 45.45

32.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$34.02 LYD 216

-28.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$18.88 LYD 120

37.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$10.24 LYD 65.0

85.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.54 LYD 28.85

-13.44%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$62.1 LYD 394

398.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$866 LYD 5,500

588.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$28.08 LYD 178

108.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$29.11 LYD 185

11.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$48.53 LYD 308

111.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$62.6 LYD 397

73.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$189 LYD 1,200

152.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$115 LYD 731

228.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$369 LYD 2,343

127.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$231 LYD 1,466

213.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$271 LYD 1,720

88.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-46.28%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Benghazi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $189 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 89% 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 $14.00 in Benghazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $106 – 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $442 in Benghazi – roughly 129% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $664 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.

Groceries cost about 77% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $14.00 in Benghazi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benghazi, where all-in costs run around $442, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $442 in Benghazi to $1,013 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.