Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Kef Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Kef

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $572 in El Kef, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $900 in El Kef, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,228 in El Kef, rent included.

Medellin costs about 200% more than El Kef, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while El Kef is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$3.51 TND 10.16

128.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$13.57 TND 39.24

255.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$5.03 TND 14.54

94.23%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$0.67 TND 1.93

334.33%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.55 TND 1.58

252.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.23 TND 0.66

560.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$0.90 TND 2.61

243.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$1.00 TND 2.89

474.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$0.44 TND 1.28

209.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.25 TND 0.73

856.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.40 TND 4.04

21.43%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.50 TND 4.35

91.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$12.63 TND 36.52

-21.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$5.62 TND 16.25

91.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$14.00 TND 40.47

5.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.79 TND 5.18

128.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.69 TND 4.88

-7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.05 TND 3.03

102.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$0.60 TND 1.74

268.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.39 TND 1.14

425.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.18 TND 0.52

733.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.55 TND 1.58

116.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.32 TND 0.93

262.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.37 TND 9.75

15.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$4.55 TND 13.17

217.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$0.71 TND 2.04

122.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$1.03 TND 2.97

174.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.35 TND 1.02

234.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$10.46 TND 30.23

643.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.31 TND 0.89

312.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.30 TND 0.87

596.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$7.67 TND 22.19

12.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.86 TND 2.49

51.16%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$40.1K TND 116.0K

-31.06%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$37.0K TND 107.0K

-4.01%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$27.75 TND 80.3

534.49%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$9.54 TND 27.58

40.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$14.54 TND 42.05

105.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$28.43 TND 82.2

57.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$14.10 TND 40.78

20.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.58 TND 13.26

35.37%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$69.9 TND 202

1034.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$2,495 TND 7,213

261.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$24.03 TND 69.5

256.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$45.35 TND 131

28.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$41.85 TND 121

225.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$66.2 TND 192

55.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$222 TND 642

376.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$163 TND 472

316.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$391 TND 1,130

415.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$286 TND 827

308.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$968 TND 2,799

324.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$648 TND 1,874

162.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$169 TND 488

293.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

13.6

-19.56%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for El Kef: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $222 in El Kef. 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 294% 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 $14.00 in El Kef. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $175 – making El Kef 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 El Kef: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 200%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $859 in El Kef. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 643% less in El Kef. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $69.9 in El Kef. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in El Kef, where all-in costs run around $572, than in Medellin at $1,716. In El Kef it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward El Kef – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 El Kef. 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.