Cost of Living Comparison Between Aden and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Aden and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,401 per month in Aden vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,398 per month in Aden vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,394 per month in Aden vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Aden costs about 38% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aden sits 5% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.40 YER 3,193

$5.99 COP 21.4K

123.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 YER 8,358

$32.86 COP 117.4K

6.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.09 YER 2,405

$7.09 COP 25.3K

42.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 YER 1,025

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 YER 884

Cappuccino

$4.96 YER 1,183

$1.71 COP 6,115

190.06%

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

$2.03 YER 485

$1.10 COP 3,924

84.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 YER 191

$0.78 COP 2,781

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$4.13 YER 984

$1.09 COP 3,906

278.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 YER 467

$1.26 COP 4,508

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.38 YER 1,759

$1.38 COP 4,922

434.78%

Eggs

$5.82 YER 1,387

$2.19 COP 7,827

165.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 YER 2,680

$4.40 COP 15.7K

155.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.84 YER 4,013

$5.63 COP 20.1K

199.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.24 YER 9,352

$8.89 COP 31.8K

341.39%

Apples (1kg)

$9.50 YER 2,263

$2.34 COP 8,349

305.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 YER 616

$1.06 COP 3,777

143.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.85 YER 1,871

$1.50 COP 5,374

423.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 YER 845

$1.38 COP 4,924

156.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 YER 818

$1.15 COP 4,111

198.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 YER 770

$1.16 COP 4,155

178.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 YER 156

$0.89 COP 3,182

-26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 YER 351

$0.84 COP 2,997

75.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 YER 159

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 YER 450

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 YER 1,165

$2.28 COP 8,145

114.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 YER 266

$0.86 COP 3,056

29.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.49 YER 9,649

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-2.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 YER 622

$1.47 COP 5,264

77.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 YER 466

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 YER 1,303

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-29.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.74 YER 891

$0.95 COP 3,409

293.68%

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

$16.8K YER 4.0M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-7.59%

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

$61.6K YER 14.7M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

132.64%

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

$77.8 YER 18.5K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-5.39%

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

$9.90 YER 2,360

$9.50 COP 33.9K

4.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.3 YER 13.2K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

128.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 YER 14.8K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

140.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.09 YER 6,456

$19.00 COP 67.9K

42.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 YER 1,341

$3.93 COP 14.0K

43.26%

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

$145 YER 34.7K

$309 COP 1.1M

-52.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,917 YER 456.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-67.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.0 YER 23.4K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

67.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$102 YER 24.2K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

213.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 YER 37.4K

$103 COP 366.4K

52.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 YER 44.1K

$108 COP 387.2K

70.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 YER 57.4K

$476 COP 1.7M

-49.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 YER 42.5K

$379 COP 1.4M

-52.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 YER 129.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

-35.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 YER 123.3K

$724 COP 2.6M

-28.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,258 YER 299.7K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-54.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$840 YER 200.1K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-30.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$456 YER 108.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

-10.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.67

13.43

-5.66%

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

Last update for Aden: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Aden versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Aden versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $499 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Aden vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aden costs about 38% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,102 per month in Aden and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Aden and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,401 in Aden and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Aden at $1,401. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $1,401 in Aden. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.