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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $618 per month in Abalessa vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $989 per month in Abalessa vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,360 per month in Abalessa vs $2,120 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 54% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.22 DZD 427

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-45.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.30 DZD 3,090

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-28.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.86 DZD 512

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-46.39%

Cappuccino

$0.73 DZD 96.2

$1.70 COP 6,186

-57.06%

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

$0.61 DZD 80.6

$1.10 COP 3,996

-44.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.76

$0.72 COP 2,625

-70.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 DZD 257

$1.67 COP 6,067

15.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 DZD 312

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-24.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 DZD 137

$1.06 COP 3,837

-2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 DZD 17.50

$1.25 COP 4,531

-89.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 DZD 208

$1.39 COP 5,060

12.95%

Eggs

$1.87 DZD 248

$2.26 COP 8,229

-17.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 DZD 1,205

$4.33 COP 15.8K

109.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 DZD 683

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-11.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.27 DZD 2,158

$8.83 COP 32.1K

84.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 DZD 420

$2.24 COP 8,159

41.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 DZD 380

$1.08 COP 3,911

165.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 DZD 229

$1.53 COP 5,563

13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 DZD 107

$1.37 COP 4,987

-41.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 DZD 77.6

$1.13 COP 4,109

-47.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 DZD 61.4

$1.12 COP 4,067

-58.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 DZD 79.5

$0.85 COP 3,080

-29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.90

$0.91 COP 3,305

-69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 DZD 371

$2.33 COP 8,477

20.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.03 DZD 932

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 DZD 179

$1.19 COP 4,342

13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 DZD 278

$2.37 COP 8,617

-11.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.21

$0.79 COP 2,859

-68.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.12 DZD 2,270

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-58.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 DZD 85.9

$1.44 COP 5,223

-54.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.93

$1.91 COP 6,952

-82.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 DZD 685

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-35.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 DZD 44.77

$0.94 COP 3,410

-63.83%

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

$32.4K DZD 4.3M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

80.95%

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

$33.3K DZD 4.4M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

24.20%

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

$40.19 DZD 5,330

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-52.13%

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

$9.33 DZD 1,237

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-2.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.20 DZD 2,281

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-28.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.35 DZD 3,097

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-9.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 DZD 711

$3.92 COP 14.2K

36.73%

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

$94.8 DZD 12.6K

$306 COP 1.1M

-69.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,557 DZD 471.8K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-39.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.23 DZD 4,805

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-37.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 DZD 5,941

$31.82 COP 115.7K

40.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 DZD 9,806

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-25.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 DZD 10.2K

$107 COP 389.7K

-28.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 DZD 25.6K

$487 COP 1.8M

-60.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 DZD 15.4K

$368 COP 1.3M

-68.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 DZD 36.6K

$826 COP 3.0M

-66.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 DZD 24.1K

$716 COP 2.6M

-74.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $193 in Abalessa versus $487 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 – $205 in Abalessa vs $190 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 67% 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 $926 per month in Abalessa and $1,550 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 8% 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 $618, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $618 versus $1,034 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.