Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Kef

For one person, living is cheaper in El Kef: $633 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
El Kef
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$633
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in El Kef

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in El Kef actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $633 in El Kef, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • El Kef $633

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $976 in El Kef, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • El Kef $976

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $1,320 in El Kef, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • El Kef $1,320

Medellin costs about 157% more than El Kef, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while El Kef is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
El Kef
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$5.45 TND 16.32
52.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$13.37 TND 40.03
250.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$4.62 TND 13.85
100.00%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$0.64 TND 1.91
376.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$0.48 TND 1.45
275.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$0.24 TND 0.72
475.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$0.93 TND 2.78
248.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$1.04 TND 3.11
434.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
El Kef
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$0.44 TND 1.32
240.91%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$0.17 TND 0.51
1294.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$1.79 TND 5.35
-5.03%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$1.44 TND 4.31
105.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$15.00 TND 44.92
-31.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$6.44 TND 19.29
51.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$15.02 TND 44.98
-7.46%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$1.61 TND 4.81
156.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$1.66 TND 4.98
-7.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$1.00 TND 2.99
122.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$0.61 TND 1.84
272.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$0.39 TND 1.16
410.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$0.15 TND 0.46
1013.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$0.45 TND 1.34
162.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.31 TND 0.94
300.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$3.25 TND 9.74
19.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$4.38 TND 13.11
214.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$0.65 TND 1.94
155.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$0.99 TND 2.97
142.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
El Kef
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$0.34 TND 1.02
264.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
$9.89 TND 29.63
690.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$0.29 TND 0.86
341.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$0.31 TND 0.93
593.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$3.79 TND 11.35
120.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$0.82 TND 2.47
64.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$38.8K TND 116.2K
-10.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$36.3K TND 108.7K
-4.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
El Kef
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$26.81 TND 80.3
521.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$10.67 TND 31.96
27.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$14.17 TND 42.45
105.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
El Kef
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$27.48 TND 82.3
64.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
$11.36 TND 34.01
51.23%
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$3.40 TND 10.19
105.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
El Kef
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$62.4 TND 187
1166.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$1,956 TND 5,857
362.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
El Kef
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$23.77 TND 71.2
269.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$68.1 TND 204
-14.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$39.71 TND 119
250.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$76.8 TND 230
28.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
El Kef
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$189 TND 567
443.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$178 TND 534
247.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$374 TND 1,119
403.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$276 TND 827
264.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$873 TND 2,615
356.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$585 TND 1,753
190.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
El Kef
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$170 TND 509
290.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
11
-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for El Kef: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
El Kef
$178 71.2% $441
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
El Kef
$187 37.1% $111
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
El Kef
$52 75.3% $158
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
El Kef
$94 45.7% $79
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
El Kef
$75 56.3% $96
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
El Kef
$13 86.2% $82
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
El Kef
$34 41.9% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $189 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 291% 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $13.00 in El Kef. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $187 – making El Kef the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇹🇳 El Kef
🕒 Local time
06:38 6:38 AM
12:38 12:38 PM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
73,710
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin El Kef 9,090 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • El Kef

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is El Kef cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 157%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $949 in El Kef. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 691% less in El Kef. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $790 per month in Medellin and $62.4 in El Kef. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in El Kef?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in El Kef, where all-in costs run around $633, than in Medellin at $1,625. In El Kef it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or El Kef more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or El Kef?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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