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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $439 in Benghazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $706 in Benghazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $973 in Benghazi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 135% more than Benghazi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Benghazi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Benghazi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.69 LYD 17.15

129.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$14.71 LYD 93.7

121.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$2.71 LYD 17.28

170.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 LYD 2.26

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.68 LYD 4.31

152.94%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.40 LYD 2.57

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.15 LYD 0.96

413.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.90 LYD 5.72

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.23 LYD 1.47

465.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.66 LYD 4.17

112.12%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.32 LYD 8.41

63.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.14 LYD 39.13

-28.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.71 LYD 23.64

58.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.63 LYD 55.0

0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.42 LYD 9.05

60.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.18 LYD 7.54

-5.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.68 LYD 4.34

125.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.49 LYD 3.11

175.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.49 LYD 3.09

130.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.44 LYD 2.83

156.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.27 LYD 1.72

214.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.22 LYD 1.40

313.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.33 LYD 14.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 LYD 4.27

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.79 LYD 17.80

-16.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.94 LYD 5.96

-10.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$9.20 LYD 58.6

340.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.91 LYD 5.77

56.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.48 LYD 9.43

29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.91 LYD 24.88

95.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.03 LYD 0.21

3200.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$16.4K LYD 104.8K

9.62%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$14.8K LYD 94.1K

80.18%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$14.44 LYD 92.0

459.63%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$7.16 LYD 45.60

38.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$33.89 LYD 216

-28.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$19.05 LYD 121

31.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$10.56 LYD 67.3

81.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.71 LYD 29.98

-15.50%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$60.0 LYD 382

408.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$869 LYD 5,534

597.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$27.57 LYD 176

110.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$28.98 LYD 185

11.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$48.49 LYD 309

107.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$63.3 LYD 403

70.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$194 LYD 1,238

145.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$115 LYD 731

228.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$378 LYD 2,409

123.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$231 LYD 1,472

216.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$263 LYD 1,675

134.53%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Benghazi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $194 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 135% 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 $15.00 in Benghazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $108 – 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $439 in Benghazi – roughly 135% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $659 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 79% 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 $15.00 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 $439, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $439 in Benghazi to $1,031 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.