Cost of Living Comparison Between Asmara and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Asmara and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,400 in Asmara versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,194 in Asmara versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Asmara versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Asmara costs roughly 18% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Asmara 2% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.28 ERN 320

$8.03 COP 25.1K

165.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.91 ERN 510

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-29.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ERN 92.6

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-37.05%

Cappuccino

$0.83 ERN 12.46

$2.91 COP 9,095

-71.48%

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

$0.98 ERN 14.80

$1.94 COP 6,074

-49.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 ERN 14.88

$1.52 COP 4,754

-34.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.58 ERN 8.78

$3.09 COP 9,663

-81.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ERN 23.85

$1.36 COP 4,262

16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 ERN 35.61

$1.70 COP 5,314

39.41%

Eggs

$4.26 ERN 64.1

$2.87 COP 8,967

48.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.93 ERN 44.08

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-70.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.34 ERN 411

$10.78 COP 33.7K

153.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 ERN 149

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-32.72%

Apples (1kg)

$12.25 ERN 184

$4.09 COP 12.8K

199.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ERN 18.80

$1.57 COP 4,911

-20.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ERN 29.69

$2.13 COP 6,642

-7.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ERN 17.13

$2.21 COP 6,917

-48.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 ERN 27.79

$2.05 COP 6,396

-9.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ERN 13.63

$1.50 COP 4,700

-39.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 ERN 34.24

$1.16 COP 3,619

95.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 ERN 182

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-16.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ERN 15.38

$1.58 COP 4,948

-35.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ERN 14.79

$2.83 COP 8,836

-65.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 ERN 1.67

$1.17 COP 3,650

-90.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.82 ERN 118

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-89.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ERN 8.83

$2.09 COP 6,537

-71.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 ERN 150

$8.62 COP 26.9K

15.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 ERN 37.99

$1.30 COP 4,056

93.85%

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

$66.8K ERN 1.0M

$27.7K COP 86.4M

141.47%

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

$70.8K ERN 1.1M

$35.5K COP 110.9M

99.48%

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

$25.04 ERN 377

$176 COP 550.1K

-85.78%

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

$69.0 ERN 1,038

$13.37 COP 41.8K

416.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$198 ERN 2,978

$29.89 COP 93.4K

561.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.53 ERN 399

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-40.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 ERN 73.7

$17.06 COP 53.3K

-71.28%

Cinema Ticket

$1.22 ERN 18.30

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-80.32%

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

$25.05 ERN 377

$793 COP 2.5M

-96.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,644 ERN 39.8K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-70.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$135 ERN 2,037

$85.6 COP 267.5K

58.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$118 ERN 1,772

$58.5 COP 182.7K

101.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$202 ERN 3,037

$136 COP 425.9K

48.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 ERN 2,270

$103 COP 322.2K

46.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 ERN 3,743

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-76.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 ERN 3,006

$680 COP 2.1M

-70.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ERN 6,698

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-77.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 ERN 6,297

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-64.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,271 ERN 19.1K

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-69.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,529 ERN 38.1K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

48.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.69%

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

Last update for Asmara: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $249 in Asmara and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Asmara vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $366 vs $303, with Medellin 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

Asmara vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Asmara and Medellin differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,400 vs $1,716 including rent). Asmara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,100 in Asmara and $2,574 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $249 in Asmara versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Asmara runs roughly 894% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $25.05 in Asmara versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,400 in Asmara versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Asmara but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Asmara 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.

Safety-wise, Asmara and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Asmara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.