Cost of Living Comparison Between Assela and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Assela and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $806 in Assela versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,237 in Assela versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,669 in Assela versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Assela costs roughly 20% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Assela 40% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 ETB 725

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-23.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.67 ETB 5,622

$32.86 COP 117.4K

8.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 ETB 996

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-10.86%

Cappuccino

$1.29 ETB 203

$1.71 COP 6,115

-24.56%

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

$0.64 ETB 101

$1.10 COP 3,924

-41.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.3

$0.78 COP 2,781

-44.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ETB 154

$1.68 COP 5,997

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ETB 462

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-4.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ETB 228

$1.09 COP 3,906

32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ETB 209

$1.26 COP 4,508

4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 343

$1.38 COP 4,922

57.25%

Eggs

$2.46 ETB 388

$2.19 COP 7,827

12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 ETB 1,104

$4.40 COP 15.7K

59.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.87 ETB 2,185

$5.63 COP 20.1K

146.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 ETB 2,112

$8.89 COP 31.8K

50.73%

Apples (1kg)

$6.84 ETB 1,078

$2.34 COP 8,349

192.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 162

$1.06 COP 3,777

-2.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 345

$1.50 COP 5,374

46.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 153

$1.38 COP 4,924

-29.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 99.6

$1.15 COP 4,111

-45.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ETB 296

$1.16 COP 4,155

62.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 110

$0.89 COP 3,182

-21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ETB 108

$0.84 COP 2,997

-17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 ETB 636

$2.28 COP 8,145

76.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.70 ETB 899

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ETB 156

$1.20 COP 4,284

-17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ETB 290

$2.47 COP 8,824

-25.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ETB 228

$1.47 COP 5,264

-1.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.53

$1.96 COP 7,009

-86.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 ETB 312

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-74.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ETB 204

$0.95 COP 3,409

35.79%

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

$55.2K ETB 8.7M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

204.21%

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

$54.6K ETB 8.6M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

106.00%

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

$159 ETB 25.0K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

93.03%

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

$11.83 ETB 1,864

$9.50 COP 33.9K

24.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 ETB 20.6K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

440.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ETB 910

$3.93 COP 14.0K

46.82%

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

$79.9 ETB 12.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

-74.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.0K ETB 6.5M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

586.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.94 ETB 7,398

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-19.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.1 ETB 11.8K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

132.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ETB 14.8K

$103 COP 366.4K

-8.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ETB 18.1K

$108 COP 387.2K

6.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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 Assela: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Assela vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $188 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

Assela vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assela is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,208 in Assela and $1,519 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.

Childcare runs $79.9 in Assela versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Assela – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $806 in Assela versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assela but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Assela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Assela is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Assela 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 Assela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.