Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,429 in Addis Ababa versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,079 in Addis Ababa versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,730 in Addis Ababa versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 39% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 7% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 ETB 704

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-27.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.55 ETB 5,634

$32.60 COP 106.0K

9.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 ETB 1,058

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-9.13%

Cappuccino

$1.30 ETB 206

$1.72 COP 5,592

-24.42%

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

$0.63 ETB 100

$1.05 COP 3,416

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.4

$0.77 COP 2,511

-44.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ETB 154

$1.69 COP 5,480

-42.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ETB 465

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-7.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ETB 231

$1.05 COP 3,418

39.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 211

$1.30 COP 4,230

2.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ETB 341

$1.40 COP 4,538

53.57%

Eggs

$2.40 ETB 380

$2.16 COP 7,037

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.12 ETB 1,128

$4.39 COP 14.3K

62.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.71 ETB 2,173

$5.88 COP 19.1K

133.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 ETB 2,071

$8.64 COP 28.1K

51.27%

Apples (1kg)

$6.66 ETB 1,055

$2.28 COP 7,415

192.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ETB 165

$1.11 COP 3,599

-6.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 348

$1.53 COP 4,976

43.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 155

$1.35 COP 4,405

-27.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 99.9

$1.13 COP 3,669

-44.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 303

$1.13 COP 3,687

69.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 105

$0.85 COP 2,749

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 108

$0.91 COP 2,971

-25.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ETB 629

$2.34 COP 7,619

69.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ETB 901

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-54.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ETB 164

$1.20 COP 3,904

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ETB 290

$2.49 COP 8,094

-26.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ETB 69.8

$0.84 COP 2,724

-47.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.19 ETB 1,932

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-69.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ETB 226

$1.42 COP 4,617

0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.37

$1.92 COP 6,227

-84.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 ETB 323

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-73.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ETB 198

$0.99 COP 3,219

26.26%

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

$55.6K ETB 8.8M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

208.37%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.6M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

103.97%

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

$163 ETB 25.8K

$80.8 COP 262.7K

101.19%

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

$12.23 ETB 1,938

$9.95 COP 32.3K

22.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.5K

$24.18 COP 78.6K

434.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 ETB 11.0K

$25.08 COP 81.5K

176.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.29 ETB 5,752

$19.15 COP 62.3K

89.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 ETB 923

$3.98 COP 13.0K

46.23%

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

$80.5 ETB 12.8K

$305 COP 992.2K

-73.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K ETB 6.3M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

559.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ETB 7,568

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-17.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.4 ETB 11.8K

$32.20 COP 104.7K

130.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 ETB 14.5K

$101 COP 327.5K

-9.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.4K

$108 COP 350.3K

7.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ETB 116.0K

$477 COP 1.5M

53.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ETB 81.1K

$376 COP 1.2M

35.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 ETB 287.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

115.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 ETB 140.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

21.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,969 ETB 312.1K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-38.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$992 ETB 157.2K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-27.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 31.7K

$617 COP 2.0M

-67.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

26.58%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Addis Ababa and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 208% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Addis Ababa vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Addis Ababa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Addis Ababa and Medellin differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,429 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 208% 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: $732 in Addis Ababa versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,429 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 233% less than in Addis Ababa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,429 in Addis Ababa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. 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 39% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.