Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawassa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawassa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $822 per month in Hawassa vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,230 per month in Hawassa vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,638 per month in Hawassa vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Hawassa is about 21% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Hawassa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Hawassa 39% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ETB 688

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-25.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.09 ETB 5,476

$32.75 COP 119.1K

7.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 ETB 1,027

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-8.61%

Cappuccino

$1.23 ETB 192

$1.70 COP 6,186

-27.65%

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

$0.64 ETB 100

$1.10 COP 3,996

-41.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 67.4

$0.72 COP 2,625

-40.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 159

$1.67 COP 6,067

-38.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ETB 463

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-4.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ETB 217

$1.06 COP 3,837

31.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ETB 208

$1.25 COP 4,531

7.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 160

$1.39 COP 5,060

-25.90%

Eggs

$1.60 ETB 250

$2.26 COP 8,229

-29.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 ETB 1,126

$4.33 COP 15.8K

66.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 ETB 2,172

$5.84 COP 21.2K

138.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.28 ETB 2,072

$8.83 COP 32.1K

50.40%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 ETB 1,055

$2.24 COP 8,159

201.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 151

$1.08 COP 3,911

-10.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 337

$1.53 COP 5,563

41.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 ETB 141

$1.37 COP 4,987

-34.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 105

$1.13 COP 4,109

-40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 299

$1.12 COP 4,067

70.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 107

$0.85 COP 3,080

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 97.9

$0.91 COP 3,305

-30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ETB 628

$2.33 COP 8,477

72.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.76 ETB 899

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-48.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 156

$1.19 COP 4,342

-15.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ETB 287

$2.37 COP 8,617

-22.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ETB 233

$1.44 COP 5,223

3.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 41.99

$1.91 COP 6,952

-85.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 319

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-74.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ETB 193

$0.94 COP 3,410

31.91%

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

$55.1K ETB 8.6M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

207.54%

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

$53.0K ETB 8.3M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

97.85%

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

$158 ETB 24.7K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

88.23%

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

$11.98 ETB 1,870

$9.60 COP 34.9K

24.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 ETB 20.4K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

442.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ETB 865

$3.92 COP 14.2K

41.33%

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

$81.7 ETB 12.7K

$306 COP 1.1M

-73.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.9K ETB 6.4M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

590.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.79 ETB 7,459

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-17.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.0 ETB 11.7K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

135.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 ETB 14.4K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.1K

$107 COP 389.7K

8.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$503 ETB 78.4K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-64.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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 Hawassa: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Hawassa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $190 – 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

Hawassa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $822 in Hawassa, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 26% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,232 per month in Hawassa and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 36% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $822, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Hawassa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $822 in Hawassa to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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