πMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $652 in Manouba.
πEstimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $976 in Manouba.
πMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,300 in Manouba.
πLiving in Medellin is roughly 58% more expensive than Manouba, driven mainly by Eating Out.
πBoth cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Manouba51% lower.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
Medellin
Manouba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.00COPΒ 20.6K
$3.31TNDΒ 9.63
81.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.84COPΒ 112.5K
$20.53TNDΒ 59.7
59.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.42COPΒ 25.4K
$4.99TNDΒ 14.51
48.70%
Cappuccino
$1.65COPΒ 5,659
$1.03TNDΒ 2.98
60.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07COPΒ 3,663
$0.59TNDΒ 1.72
81.36%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76COPΒ 2,607
$0.23TNDΒ 0.67
230.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COPΒ 5,908
$1.51TNDΒ 4.39
13.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20COPΒ 11.0K
$2.39TNDΒ 6.94
33.89%
π Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Manouba
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05COPΒ 3,597
$0.50TNDΒ 1.44
110.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.31COPΒ 4,479
$0.18TNDΒ 0.53
627.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.34COPΒ 4,591
$1.49TNDΒ 4.34
-10.07%
Eggs
$2.19COPΒ 7,521
$1.55TNDΒ 4.52
41.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.41COPΒ 15.1K
$10.37TNDΒ 30.16
-57.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.69COPΒ 19.5K
$5.64TNDΒ 16.38
0.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.52COPΒ 29.2K
$13.54TNDΒ 39.36
-37.08%
Apples(1kg)
$2.34COPΒ 8,023
$2.10TNDΒ 6.10
11.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.11COPΒ 3,804
$3.05TNDΒ 8.88
-63.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COPΒ 5,210
$1.00TNDΒ 2.91
52.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COPΒ 4,680
$0.74TNDΒ 2.16
85.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.15COPΒ 3,950
$0.70TNDΒ 2.04
64.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.18COPΒ 4,043
$0.62TNDΒ 1.82
90.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.84COPΒ 2,885
$0.46TNDΒ 1.34
82.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86COPΒ 2,931
$0.29TNDΒ 0.84
196.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.26COPΒ 7,753
$3.35TNDΒ 9.74
-32.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.60COPΒ 39.8K
$5.07TNDΒ 14.73
128.80%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COPΒ 4,109
$1.10TNDΒ 3.18
9.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48COPΒ 8,484
$1.11TNDΒ 3.23
123.42%
π Getting Around
Medellin
Manouba
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COPΒ 2,721
$0.32TNDΒ 0.94
146.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$40.83COPΒ 139.9K
$10.25TNDΒ 29.79
298.34%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.47COPΒ 5,023
$0.32TNDΒ 0.94
359.37%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.92COPΒ 6,568
$0.31TNDΒ 0.89
519.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.77COPΒ 26.6K
$3.47TNDΒ 10.09
123.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.01COPΒ 3,464
$0.88TNDΒ 2.56
14.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.7KCOPΒ 60.5M
$34.9KTNDΒ 101.5K
-49.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KCOPΒ 90.7M
$35.3KTNDΒ 102.7K
-25.14%
π§Ύ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Manouba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.1COPΒ 277.9K
$45.88TNDΒ 133
76.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.43COPΒ 32.3K
$9.84TNDΒ 28.60
-4.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.86COPΒ 81.8K
$21.08TNDΒ 61.3
13.19%
π Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Manouba
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.99COPΒ 89.1K
$24.17TNDΒ 70.3
7.53%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.71COPΒ 64.1K
$12.90TNDΒ 37.49
45.04%
Cinema Ticket
$4.09COPΒ 14.0K
$5.27TNDΒ 15.31
-22.39%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
Medellin
Manouba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$315COPΒ 1.1M
$109TNDΒ 317
188.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,022COPΒ 20.6M
$2,484TNDΒ 7,220
142.47%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Manouba
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.7COPΒ 204.6K
$44.09TNDΒ 128
35.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.97COPΒ 109.6K
$44.02TNDΒ 128
-27.37%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101COPΒ 346.9K
$95.4TNDΒ 277
6.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105COPΒ 360.3K
$66.0TNDΒ 192
59.38%
π Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Manouba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$485COPΒ 1.7M
$206TNDΒ 598
135.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$365COPΒ 1.3M
$155TNDΒ 451
135.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$827COPΒ 2.8M
$272TNDΒ 790
204.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$730COPΒ 2.5M
$202TNDΒ 587
261.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,992COPΒ 10.3M
$1,130TNDΒ 3,284
164.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,314COPΒ 4.5M
$558TNDΒ 1,623
135.36%
π΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Manouba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$551COPΒ 1.9M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
10.96
22.54%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input β minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026
Last update for Manouba: June 16, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $206 in Manouba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
πDining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $21.00 in Manouba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $182 per month, with Manouba cheaper across the board.
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 Manouba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and Manouba?
Medellin and Manouba differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,028 vs $652 including rent). Manouba is meaningfully more affordable β a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Manouba?
You'd need roughly $1,542 in Medellin and $979 in Manouba to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and Manouba?
Rent for a central apartment: $485 in Medellin versus $206 in Manouba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Manouba β a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $652 in Manouba versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manouba but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Manouba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Manouba?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better β the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Manouba?
Expats usually find Manouba gentler on the wallet β expenses run 58% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.