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: $1,698 in Abuja versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,805 in Abuja versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,911 in Abuja versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Abuja is roughly 67% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abuja is 26% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 ₦2,792

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-65.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.38 ₦60.3K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

33.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ₦7,458

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-24.20%

Cappuccino

$2.55 ₦3,470

$1.63 COP 5,687

56.44%

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

$0.52 ₦701

$1.09 COP 3,821

-52.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₦561

$0.73 COP 2,548

-43.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 ₦1,505

$1.74 COP 6,065

-36.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₦1,563

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-64.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.14 ₦4,272

$1.05 COP 3,662

199.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₦1,716

$1.29 COP 4,515

-2.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 ₦3,347

$1.32 COP 4,617

86.36%

Eggs

$1.54 ₦2,094

$2.27 COP 7,927

-32.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.17 ₦7,031

$4.35 COP 15.2K

18.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₦6,270

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-21.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.83 ₦5,207

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-55.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 ₦4,152

$2.25 COP 7,844

35.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ₦2,388

$1.07 COP 3,733

64.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 ₦2,945

$1.52 COP 5,322

42.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,402

$1.42 COP 4,964

24.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 ₦2,802

$1.17 COP 4,084

76.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ₦3,433

$1.17 COP 4,077

115.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ₦775

$0.89 COP 3,096

-35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₦394

$0.90 COP 3,146

-67.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 ₦3,337

$2.25 COP 7,837

8.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ₦7,720

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-48.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₦1,439

$1.14 COP 3,977

-7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₦1,909

$2.38 COP 8,301

-41.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ₦868

$0.84 COP 2,916

-23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₦1,183

$1.41 COP 4,912

-38.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ₦1,388

$1.90 COP 6,634

-46.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 ₦5,747

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-45.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₦1,139

$1.01 COP 3,509

-16.83%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$30.68 ₦41.7K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-63.34%

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

$10.95 ₦14.9K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

15.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.93 ₦55.6K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

69.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.64 ₦62.1K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

80.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.57 ₦14.4K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-44.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ₦11.5K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

106.34%

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

$133 ₦180.8K

$312 COP 1.1M

-57.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,986 ₦2.7M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-66.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.31 ₦41.2K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-47.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.98 ₦39.4K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-11.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 ₦91.9K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-32.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 ₦117.1K

$109 COP 378.8K

-20.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,414 ₦3.3M

$482 COP 1.7M

400.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ₦1.6M

$379 COP 1.3M

209.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,508 ₦7.5M

$837 COP 2.9M

557.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,674 ₦3.6M

$723 COP 2.5M

269.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$366 ₦497.0K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-70.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 ₦222.9K

$541 COP 1.9M

-69.70%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,414 in Abuja and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 230% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Abuja vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $190, 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 67% in total monthly costs ($1,698 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 230% less. 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: $2,414 in Abuja versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $133 in Abuja versus $312 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 $44.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,698 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 67% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.