Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Monastir

For one person, living is cheaper in Monastir: $706 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Monastir, Tunisia
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monastir
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$706
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Monastir

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 Monastir actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $706 in Monastir, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Monastir $706

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,131 in Monastir, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Monastir $1,131

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,555 in Monastir, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Monastir $1,555

Medellin costs about 132% more than Monastir, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Monastir is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Monastir
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$5.01 TND 15.04
61.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$22.48 TND 67.6
109.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$6.15 TND 18.46
54.47%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,735
$1.19 TND 3.58
152.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$0.74 TND 2.23
143.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,561
$0.36 TND 1.09
291.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$1.63 TND 4.91
95.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$1.63 TND 4.90
252.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Monastir
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,876
$0.44 TND 1.31
243.18%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,678
$0.17 TND 0.51
1300.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,720
$1.68 TND 5.04
5.36%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,333
$1.58 TND 4.73
82.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$13.71 TND 41.18
-25.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$6.15 TND 18.47
60.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
$14.60 TND 43.85
-4.18%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$2.01 TND 6.05
97.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,012
$4.40 TND 13.21
-64.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,048
$1.20 TND 3.59
81.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,051
$0.80 TND 2.39
172.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,337
$0.87 TND 2.62
125.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,132
$0.72 TND 2.17
120.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,699
$0.44 TND 1.33
161.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$0.33 TND 1.00
275.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$3.74 TND 11.24
5.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$5.70 TND 17.14
140.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$1.21 TND 3.64
37.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,291
$1.32 TND 3.96
71.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Monastir
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,771
$0.32 TND 0.95
265.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
$11.01 TND 33.08
602.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$0.29 TND 0.87
337.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,612
$0.29 TND 0.86
606.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$1.77 TND 5.32
383.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,349
$0.83 TND 2.48
62.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
$39.7K TND 119.3K
-14.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$35.9K TND 108.0K
-3.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Monastir
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.8K
$61.5 TND 185
175.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.8K
$10.56 TND 31.74
28.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$20.06 TND 60.3
39.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Monastir
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
$23.67 TND 71.1
84.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
$6.63 TND 19.92
159.28%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$6.03 TND 18.12
14.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Monastir
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$94.4 TND 284
744.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$3,205 TND 9,630
184.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Monastir
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$46.92 TND 141
80.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.2K
$67.5 TND 203
-14.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.8K
$111 TND 334
21.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$97.2 TND 292
0.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Monastir
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$203 TND 609
496.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$121 TND 362
432.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$354 TND 1,064
472.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$233 TND 701
333.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
$1,219 TND 3,661
242.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$619 TND 1,859
208.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Monastir
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$347 TND 1,041
89.59%
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 25, 2026

Last update for Monastir: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Monastir
$121 81.2% $521
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Monastir
$210 29.3% $87
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Monastir
$92 56.4% $119
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Monastir
$89 47.7% $81
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Monastir
$145 14% $24
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Monastir
$14 85% $80
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Monastir
$36 37.9% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $203 in Monastir. 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 90% 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 in Medellin versus $22 in Monastir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $210 – making Monastir the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇹🇳 Monastir
🕒 Local time
05:52 5:52 AM
11:52 11:52 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
104,535
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3 TND (1 TND = 0.333 USD). 1 EUR = 3.35 TND (1 TND = 0.298 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Monastir 9,280 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Monastir

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 Monastir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monastir cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 132%, 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 $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,059 in Monastir. 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 Monastir, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $203 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Monastir?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $22 in Monastir. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Monastir?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $706 in Monastir. That makes Monastir about 57% cheaper.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Monastir?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Monastir, where all-in costs run around $706, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Monastir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Monastir more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Monastir – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Monastir. If higher salaries 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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