Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,650 in Abuja versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,777 in Abuja versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,905 in Abuja versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Abuja is roughly 65% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abuja is 24% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ₦2,760

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-65.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.61 ₦60.9K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

35.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ₦7,652

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-24.50%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₦3,498

$1.65 COP 5,207

55.15%

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

$0.50 ₦688

$1.10 COP 3,468

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦526

$0.78 COP 2,458

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₦1,444

$1.72 COP 5,412

-38.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₦1,612

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-62.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 ₦4,253

$1.10 COP 3,474

183.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ₦1,769

$1.26 COP 3,962

3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₦3,294

$1.38 COP 4,349

74.64%

Eggs

$1.49 ₦2,030

$2.18 COP 6,858

-31.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.12 ₦6,982

$4.49 COP 14.1K

14.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 ₦6,306

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-20.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.84 ₦5,244

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-57.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 ₦4,046

$2.32 COP 7,308

28.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ₦2,315

$1.06 COP 3,352

60.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ₦2,948

$1.52 COP 4,774

42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,414

$1.36 COP 4,270

30.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 ₦2,784

$1.13 COP 3,552

80.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₦3,470

$1.17 COP 3,689

117.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ₦775

$0.90 COP 2,838

-36.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₦428

$0.90 COP 2,823

-65.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 ₦3,438

$2.23 COP 7,034

13.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 ₦7,824

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-52.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₦1,438

$1.19 COP 3,743

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₦1,983

$2.48 COP 7,815

-41.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 ₦932

$0.85 COP 2,687

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₦1,171

$1.42 COP 4,459

-39.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ₦1,417

$1.95 COP 6,141

-46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 ₦5,821

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-45.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₦1,131

$0.99 COP 3,118

-16.16%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$30.33 ₦41.4K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-63.46%

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

$11.03 ₦15.1K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

13.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.89 ₦57.2K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

78.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.38 ₦61.9K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

79.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.65 ₦14.5K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-44.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.22 ₦11.2K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

108.10%

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

$133 ₦181.8K

$316 COP 994.2K

-57.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,974 ₦2.7M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-66.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.26 ₦41.3K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-49.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.11 ₦39.7K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-8.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 ₦92.2K

$102 COP 320.1K

-33.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 ₦118.5K

$107 COP 338.3K

-19.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 ₦3.3M

$475 COP 1.5M

414.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 ₦1.6M

$374 COP 1.2M

209.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,503 ₦7.5M

$849 COP 2.7M

548.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,717 ₦3.7M

$719 COP 2.3M

277.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$700 ₦955.1K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-78.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$366 ₦499.0K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-74.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 ₦228.1K

$624 COP 2.0M

-73.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

13.43

67.54%

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

Last update for Abuja: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Abuja and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 273% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Abuja vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $189 vs $193, with Abuja cheaper for home cooking.

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

Abuja vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abuja and Medellin differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,650 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 273% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,445 in Abuja versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $133 in Abuja versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $45.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,650 in Abuja, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.