Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tarhuna Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tarhuna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $391 in Tarhuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $583 in Tarhuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $774 in Tarhuna, rent included.

Medellin costs about 163% more than Tarhuna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Tarhuna are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tarhuna 71% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Tarhuna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.16 COP 20.1K
$4.49 LYD 28.59
37.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.60 COP 106.1K
$18.59 LYD 118
75.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.34 COP 23.9K
$3.73 LYD 23.78
96.78%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.54 LYD 3.42
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.71 LYD 4.55
-
Cappuccino
$1.72 COP 5,599
$0.52 LYD 3.32
230.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 COP 3,420
$0.48 LYD 3.08
118.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 COP 2,515
$0.12 LYD 0.78
541.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.69 COP 5,487
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 COP 10.3K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Tarhuna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 COP 3,423
$1.04 LYD 6.61
0.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 COP 4,236
$0.21 LYD 1.33
519.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 COP 4,544
$1.24 LYD 7.93
12.90%
Eggs
$2.16 COP 7,046
$1.51 LYD 9.63
43.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.39 COP 14.3K
$4.94 LYD 31.50
-11.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.88 COP 19.1K
$3.35 LYD 21.33
75.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.64 COP 28.1K
$10.26 LYD 65.4
-15.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 COP 7,425
$2.20 LYD 14.01
3.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 COP 3,603
$1.34 LYD 8.56
-17.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,982
$0.82 LYD 5.23
86.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.35 COP 4,410
$0.52 LYD 3.31
159.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,674
$0.70 LYD 4.44
61.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,692
$0.57 LYD 3.62
98.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 COP 2,753
$0.38 LYD 2.45
123.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 COP 2,975
$0.20 LYD 1.27
355.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.29 LYD 8.20
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.67 LYD 4.28
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.64 LYD 4.08
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 COP 7,629
$1.87 LYD 11.88
25.13%
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
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Tarhuna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 COP 2,727
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.57 COP 132.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 COP 4,623
$0.95 LYD 6.05
49.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.92 COP 6,235
$0.88 LYD 5.61
118.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.66 COP 24.9K
$4.60 LYD 29.30
66.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 COP 3,223
$0.03 LYD 0.17
3200.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0K COP 58.7M
$13.6K LYD 86.8K
32.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K COP 86.7M
$16.6K LYD 105.8K
60.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Tarhuna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.8 COP 263.1K
$31.93 LYD 203
153.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.95 COP 32.4K
$8.34 LYD 53.1
19.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.18 COP 78.7K
$22.58 LYD 144
7.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Tarhuna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.08 COP 81.6K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.15 COP 62.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.98 COP 13.0K
$4.54 LYD 28.91
-12.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Tarhuna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 COP 993.4K
$51.7 LYD 330
489.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,059 COP 19.7M
$923 LYD 5,881
556.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Tarhuna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.1 COP 189.2K
$21.71 LYD 138
167.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.20 COP 104.8K
$35.18 LYD 224
-8.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 COP 327.9K
$49.69 LYD 317
102.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COP 350.8K
$55.7 LYD 355
93.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Tarhuna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$477 COP 1.6M
$90.5 LYD 577
426.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$376 COP 1.2M
$63.0 LYD 401
497.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$845 COP 2.7M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$730 COP 2.4M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,215 COP 10.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,372 COP 4.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Tarhuna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$617 COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
17.5
-23.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tarhuna: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $90.5 in Tarhuna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Tarhuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $118 – making Tarhuna 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 Tarhuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tarhuna cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 163%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $587 in Tarhuna. 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 Tarhuna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Tarhuna?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Tarhuna. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Tarhuna?
Groceries cost about 64% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Tarhuna?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tarhuna, where all-in costs run around $391, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Tarhuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Tarhuna more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Tarhuna – 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 Tarhuna. 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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