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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $546 per month in Abalessa vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $871 per month in Abalessa vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,195 per month in Abalessa vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Abalessa is about 67% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Abalessa sits 60% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 DZD 398

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-62.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.82 DZD 2,510

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-60.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 DZD 532

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-59.66%

Cappuccino

$0.70 DZD 93.4

$3.13 COP 9,873

-77.64%

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

$0.55 DZD 73.7

$1.91 COP 6,019

-71.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 DZD 38.77

$1.51 COP 4,763

-80.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 DZD 207

$3.12 COP 9,853

-50.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 DZD 307

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-60.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 DZD 111

$1.44 COP 4,558

-41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.14 DZD 18.27

$2.49 COP 7,843

-94.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 DZD 133

$1.77 COP 5,595

-43.50%

Eggs

$1.46 DZD 194

$2.96 COP 9,336

-50.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 DZD 1,183

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-11.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 DZD 470

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-65.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.44 DZD 2,059

$14.30 COP 45.1K

7.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 DZD 244

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-55.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 DZD 338

$1.61 COP 5,073

57.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 DZD 162

$2.25 COP 7,083

-46.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 DZD 123

$2.25 COP 7,104

-59.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 DZD 94.4

$2.04 COP 6,444

-65.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 DZD 69.4

$1.54 COP 4,842

-66.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 DZD 99.2

$1.17 COP 3,691

-36.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 DZD 34.64

$1.31 COP 4,121

-80.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 DZD 335

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-35.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.91 DZD 922

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 DZD 147

$1.74 COP 5,498

-36.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 DZD 253

$2.87 COP 9,053

-33.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 DZD 25.50

$1.22 COP 3,834

-84.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.42 DZD 857

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-92.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 DZD 69.9

$1.31 COP 4,129

-60.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 DZD 57.7

$2.19 COP 6,899

-80.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 DZD 770

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-33.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 DZD 49.96

$1.37 COP 4,306

-72.99%

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

$34.7K DZD 4.6M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

24.55%

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

$31.9K DZD 4.3M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-10.90%

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

$35.98 DZD 4,799

$177 COP 559.3K

-79.71%

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

$9.95 DZD 1,327

$13.88 COP 43.8K

-28.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.61 DZD 1,549

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-60.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.94 DZD 2,793

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-53.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 DZD 573

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-35.34%

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

$104 DZD 13.9K

$813 COP 2.6M

-87.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,988 DZD 398.4K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-67.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.32 DZD 4,044

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-66.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.08 DZD 4,945

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-37.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 DZD 8,680

$138 COP 435.9K

-52.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 DZD 10.3K

$102 COP 322.1K

-24.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 DZD 22.4K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-84.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 DZD 13.7K

$663 COP 2.1M

-84.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 DZD 36.7K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-85.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 DZD 27.5K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-79.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,185 DZD 158.0K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-71.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.3

10.94

-51.55%

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

Last update for Abalessa: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $168 in Abalessa versus $1,062 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 $19.00 in Abalessa versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $305 – making Abalessa 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

Abalessa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 208% more than Abalessa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $820 per month in Abalessa and $2,521 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.

Groceries cost about 73% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Abalessa and $48.00 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 $546, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $546 versus $1,681 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.