Cost of Living Comparison Between Abalessa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Abalessa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $605 per month in Abalessa vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $979 per month in Abalessa vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,352 per month in Abalessa vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Abalessa is about 40% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Abalessa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Abalessa 55% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 DZD 419

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-46.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.39 DZD 3,093

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-29.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.01 DZD 531

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-46.03%

Cappuccino

$0.77 DZD 102

$1.65 COP 5,207

-53.33%

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

$0.60 DZD 79.4

$1.10 COP 3,468

-45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 DZD 30.44

$0.78 COP 2,458

-70.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 DZD 265

$1.72 COP 5,412

16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 DZD 317

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-24.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 DZD 135

$1.10 COP 3,474

-7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.14 DZD 18.11

$1.26 COP 3,962

-88.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 DZD 215

$1.38 COP 4,349

18.12%

Eggs

$1.85 DZD 245

$2.18 COP 6,858

-15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 DZD 1,177

$4.49 COP 14.1K

98.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 DZD 705

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-7.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.70 DZD 2,208

$8.97 COP 28.2K

86.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 DZD 419

$2.32 COP 7,308

36.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 DZD 375

$1.06 COP 3,352

167.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 DZD 224

$1.52 COP 4,774

11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 DZD 105

$1.36 COP 4,270

-41.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 DZD 73.6

$1.13 COP 3,552

-50.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 DZD 60.8

$1.17 COP 3,689

-60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 DZD 79.9

$0.90 COP 2,838

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 39.99

$0.90 COP 2,823

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 DZD 357

$2.23 COP 7,034

21.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 DZD 1,025

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-36.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 DZD 171

$1.19 COP 3,743

8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 DZD 272

$2.48 COP 7,815

-16.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.18

$0.85 COP 2,687

-70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.44 DZD 2,306

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-58.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 DZD 93.1

$1.42 COP 4,459

-50.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 DZD 44.04

$1.95 COP 6,141

-83.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 DZD 684

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-34.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 DZD 44.47

$0.99 COP 3,118

-65.66%

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

$31.8K DZD 4.2M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

80.72%

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

$33.0K DZD 4.4M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

23.31%

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

$41.10 DZD 5,434

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-50.49%

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

$9.58 DZD 1,267

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-1.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.10 DZD 2,260

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-27.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.35 DZD 3,087

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-7.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 DZD 726

$3.95 COP 12.4K

38.99%

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

$92.3 DZD 12.2K

$316 COP 994.2K

-70.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,658 DZD 483.6K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-38.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.02 DZD 4,895

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-38.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.41 DZD 6,005

$31.82 COP 100.2K

42.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 DZD 10.1K

$102 COP 320.1K

-24.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 DZD 10.3K

$107 COP 338.3K

-27.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 DZD 25.6K

$475 COP 1.5M

-59.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 DZD 15.0K

$374 COP 1.2M

-69.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 DZD 36.3K

$849 COP 2.7M

-67.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 DZD 24.5K

$719 COP 2.3M

-74.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$990 DZD 130.9K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-69.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 DZD 160.2K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-15.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

13.43

-59.64%

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

Last update for Abalessa: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Abalessa versus $475 in Medellin. 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 $23.00 in Abalessa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Abalessa vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Abalessa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 66% more than Abalessa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $908 per month in Abalessa and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Abalessa and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abalessa, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Abalessa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abalessa costs $605 versus $1,003 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Abalessa. 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.