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: $836 in Assela versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,195 in Assela versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,554 in Assela versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Assela costs roughly 51% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Assela is 39% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 ETB 632

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-50.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.27 ETB 6,949

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-10.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 ETB 1,070

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-31.83%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ETB 152

$2.91 COP 9,149

-67.35%

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

$0.60 ETB 95.9

$1.94 COP 6,110

-69.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 102

$1.52 COP 4,783

-58.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 ETB 123

$3.09 COP 9,721

-75.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ETB 366

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-60.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ETB 172

$1.36 COP 4,287

-21.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ETB 193

$2.39 COP 7,505

-49.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 ETB 338

$1.70 COP 5,346

24.12%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 277

$2.87 COP 9,021

-40.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 ETB 1,167

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-26.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.10 ETB 1,621

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-6.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 ETB 1,471

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-37.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ETB 846

$4.09 COP 12.8K

28.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 101

$1.57 COP 4,940

-59.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 353

$2.13 COP 6,682

3.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 107

$2.21 COP 6,959

-69.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 79.9

$2.05 COP 6,435

-75.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ETB 170

$1.50 COP 4,728

-29.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 106

$1.19 COP 3,740

-44.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ETB 91.4

$1.16 COP 3,640

-50.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 ETB 1,273

$3.90 COP 12.2K

103.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.48 ETB 881

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-62.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ETB 105

$1.58 COP 4,978

-58.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ETB 198

$2.83 COP 8,889

-56.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ETB 210

$1.28 COP 4,038

2.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.34

$2.09 COP 6,576

-87.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 ETB 319

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-76.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ETB 156

$1.30 COP 4,080

-25.38%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

$27.7K COP 86.9M

96.28%

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

$54.9K ETB 8.8M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

54.66%

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

$208 ETB 33.4K

$176 COP 553.4K

18.02%

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

$7.28 ETB 1,170

$13.37 COP 42.0K

-45.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$210 ETB 33.8K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

604.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.86 ETB 620

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-37.74%

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

$137 ETB 22.0K

$793 COP 2.5M

-82.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K ETB 4.8M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

228.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.35 ETB 5,356

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-61.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 ETB 11.2K

$58.5 COP 183.8K

19.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 ETB 12.8K

$136 COP 428.4K

-41.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 ETB 13.3K

$103 COP 324.1K

-19.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

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 Assela: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Assela vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $303 per month, with Assela 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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,254 in Assela 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.

Childcare runs $137 in Assela versus $793 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 $43.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $836 in Assela versus $1,716 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 105% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.