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: $1,289 in Addis Ababa versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,927 in Addis Ababa versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Addis Ababa versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Addis Ababa costs roughly 23% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 6% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ETB 646

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-49.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ETB 6,928

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-9.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 ETB 1,067

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-32.86%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ETB 153

$3.13 COP 9,767

-69.65%

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

$0.59 ETB 94.5

$1.91 COP 5,954

-69.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 103

$1.51 COP 4,712

-57.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ETB 130

$3.12 COP 9,747

-74.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ETB 368

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-60.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ETB 175

$1.44 COP 4,509

-24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ETB 194

$2.49 COP 7,759

-51.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 354

$1.77 COP 5,535

24.29%

Eggs

$1.81 ETB 291

$2.96 COP 9,235

-38.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 ETB 1,216

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-24.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.15 ETB 1,630

$10.12 COP 31.6K

0.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 ETB 1,493

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-35.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 ETB 881

$4.14 COP 12.9K

32.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 102

$1.61 COP 5,019

-60.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ETB 355

$2.25 COP 7,007

-1.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 111

$2.25 COP 7,028

-69.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 80.2

$2.04 COP 6,375

-75.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ETB 170

$1.54 COP 4,790

-31.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ETB 103

$1.17 COP 3,651

-45.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ETB 98.3

$1.31 COP 4,077

-53.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 ETB 1,314

$3.90 COP 12.2K

109.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.64 ETB 905

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-59.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ETB 116

$1.74 COP 5,439

-58.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ETB 196

$2.87 COP 8,956

-57.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ETB 82.9

$1.22 COP 3,792

-57.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 ETB 3,326

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-74.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ETB 209

$1.31 COP 4,084

-0.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.30

$2.19 COP 6,825

-87.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ETB 314

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-77.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ETB 145

$1.37 COP 4,260

-34.31%

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

$54.1K ETB 8.7M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

94.24%

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

$55.2K ETB 8.9M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

54.20%

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

$202 ETB 32.5K

$177 COP 553.2K

14.18%

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

$7.10 ETB 1,140

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-48.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$208 ETB 33.4K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

600.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 ETB 7,191

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-0.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.56 ETB 5,874

$17.12 COP 53.4K

113.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.66 ETB 588

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-44.96%

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

$139 ETB 22.3K

$813 COP 2.5M

-82.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K ETB 4.9M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

232.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.99 ETB 5,300

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-63.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.9 ETB 11.2K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

18.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 ETB 12.6K

$138 COP 431.2K

-43.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ETB 13.2K

$102 COP 318.7K

-19.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ETB 111.5K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-34.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ETB 63.2K

$663 COP 2.1M

-40.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,237 ETB 359.4K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

18.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ETB 123.8K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-25.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,990 ETB 319.7K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-52.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,023 ETB 164.3K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-38.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$206 ETB 33.1K

$678 COP 2.1M

-69.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

10.94

69.10%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $694 in Addis Ababa and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 229% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Addis Ababa vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $305 per month, with Addis Ababa 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 30% in total monthly costs ($1,289 vs $1,681 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 229% 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: $694 in Addis Ababa versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,289 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Addis Ababa runs roughly 289% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,289 in Addis Ababa versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Addis Ababa but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Addis Ababa 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 Addis Ababa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.