Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Addis Ababa: $1,300 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

63

Cost of Living Index in Addis Ababa
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Addis Ababa Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Addis Ababa

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,300

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Addis Ababa and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Addis Ababa and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,300 in Addis Ababa versus $1,639 in Medellin.

Addis Ababa $1,300
Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,914 in Addis Ababa versus $2,413 in Medellin.

Addis Ababa $1,914
Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,528 in Addis Ababa versus $3,186 in Medellin.

Addis Ababa $2,528
Medellin $3,186

Living in Addis Ababa costs roughly 21% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 4% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 ETB 654

$8.09 COP 26.1K

-49.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.77 ETB 6,881

$47.05 COP 151.7K

-9.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ETB 1,067

$9.50 COP 30.6K

-30.21%

Cappuccino

$0.88 ETB 141

$3.01 COP 9,722

-70.76%

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

$0.58 ETB 93.8

$1.80 COP 5,801

-67.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 103

$1.41 COP 4,554

-54.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 ETB 124

$3.18 COP 10.2K

-75.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ETB 359

$5.75 COP 18.5K

-61.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ETB 172

$1.51 COP 4,869

-29.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ETB 186

$2.38 COP 7,667

-51.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 349

$1.77 COP 5,712

22.60%

Eggs

$1.79 ETB 287

$2.89 COP 9,320

-38.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 ETB 1,209

$10.19 COP 32.9K

-26.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.28 ETB 1,654

$9.87 COP 31.8K

4.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ETB 1,527

$13.99 COP 45.1K

-32.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ETB 844

$3.97 COP 12.8K

32.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 ETB 102

$1.55 COP 5,005

-58.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 ETB 341

$2.18 COP 7,039

-2.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ETB 105

$2.18 COP 7,041

-70.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 81.0

$1.96 COP 6,328

-74.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 ETB 174

$1.59 COP 5,125

-32.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ETB 111

$1.15 COP 3,694

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ETB 92.7

$1.24 COP 4,009

-53.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 ETB 1,289

$3.96 COP 12.8K

102.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ETB 914

$13.68 COP 44.1K

-58.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ETB 108

$1.66 COP 5,352

-59.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ETB 196

$2.26 COP 7,281

-46.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ETB 82.6

$1.17 COP 3,766

-56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.05 ETB 3,387

$77.4 COP 249.5K

-72.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ETB 208

$1.27 COP 4,089

1.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 47.28

$2.05 COP 6,603

-85.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ETB 315

$8.55 COP 27.6K

-77.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ETB 155

$1.35 COP 4,343

-28.89%

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

$55.7K ETB 9.0M

$34.1K COP 109.8M

63.40%

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

$56.1K ETB 9.0M

$34.7K COP 111.8M

61.86%

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

$202 ETB 32.5K

$170 COP 547.0K

19.16%

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

$7.50 ETB 1,206

$13.55 COP 43.7K

-44.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$213 ETB 34.3K

$28.07 COP 90.5K

659.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.97 ETB 7,236

$43.70 COP 140.9K

2.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.87 ETB 5,933

$17.19 COP 55.4K

114.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.77 ETB 607

$6.91 COP 22.3K

-45.44%

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

$633 ETB 101.9K

$797 COP 2.6M

-20.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K ETB 4.9M

$9,112 COP 29.4M

234.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.81 ETB 5,279

$84.7 COP 273.2K

-61.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 ETB 11.2K

$58.0 COP 186.9K

19.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 ETB 12.5K

$135 COP 435.2K

-42.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.9 ETB 13.3K

$97.9 COP 315.6K

-15.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 ETB 113.8K

$1,208 COP 3.9M

-41.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 ETB 63.0K

$642 COP 2.1M

-38.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,299 ETB 369.9K

$2,028 COP 6.5M

13.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ETB 124.5K

$1,012 COP 3.3M

-23.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,976 ETB 318.0K

$4,170 COP 13.4M

-52.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 ETB 165.0K

$1,910 COP 6.2M

-46.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 32.2K

$657 COP 2.1M

-69.53%

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: October 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Addis Ababa

$423 32.5%

Medellin

$211 12.9% 50% $212

Accommodation & Living

Addis Ababa

$392 30.1%

Medellin

$642 39.1% 63.8% $250

Groceries & Markets

Addis Ababa

$213 16.4%

Medellin

$297 18.1% 39.6% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Addis Ababa

$118 9.1%

Medellin

$169 10.3% 43% $51

Eating Out

Addis Ababa

$76 5.9%

Medellin

$170 10.4% 123% $93

Sport & Entertainment

Addis Ababa

$53 4%

Medellin

$58 3.5% 9.6% $5

Getting Around

Addis Ababa

$26 2%

Medellin

$94 5.7% 262% $68

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $707 in Addis Ababa and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays about 3.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $43 in Addis Ababa vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $297 per month, with Addis Ababa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Addis Ababa

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

03:07 3:07 AM

19:07 7:07 PM

8 h behind Addis Ababa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,500,000 Capital

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇹 Ethiopian Birr (Br)

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

USD to ETB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Addis Ababa Medellin 12,540 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Addis Ababa
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,300 in Addis Ababa and $1,639 in Medellin, so Addis Ababa is about 21% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 70% lower in Addis Ababa. 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: $707 in Addis Ababa versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,300 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,639 in Medellin – Addis Ababa is about 21% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Addis Ababa runs roughly 73% less than in Medellin. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Addis Ababa gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 21% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.