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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $823 per month in Hawassa vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,195 per month in Hawassa vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,567 per month in Hawassa vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Hawassa is about 51% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Hawassa sits 40% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 ETB 645

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.04 ETB 6,754

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-12.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 ETB 1,026

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-35.49%

Cappuccino

$0.91 ETB 146

$3.13 COP 9,767

-70.93%

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

$0.62 ETB 100

$1.91 COP 5,954

-67.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 109

$1.51 COP 4,712

-54.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.79 ETB 127

$3.12 COP 9,747

-74.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ETB 359

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-61.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ETB 170

$1.44 COP 4,509

-26.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ETB 194

$2.49 COP 7,759

-51.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 165

$1.77 COP 5,535

-41.81%

Eggs

$1.54 ETB 247

$2.96 COP 9,235

-47.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 ETB 1,160

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-28.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 ETB 1,593

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.30 ETB 1,493

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-34.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 ETB 853

$4.14 COP 12.9K

28.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 110

$1.61 COP 5,019

-57.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 353

$2.25 COP 7,007

-2.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 ETB 112

$2.25 COP 7,028

-68.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 80.7

$2.04 COP 6,375

-75.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ETB 176

$1.54 COP 4,790

-28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 110

$1.17 COP 3,651

-41.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ETB 92.4

$1.31 COP 4,077

-56.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.89 ETB 1,267

$3.90 COP 12.2K

102.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 ETB 922

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-59.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ETB 106

$1.74 COP 5,439

-62.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ETB 198

$2.87 COP 8,956

-57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ETB 208

$1.31 COP 4,084

-1.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.75

$2.19 COP 6,825

-86.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 ETB 326

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-76.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ETB 156

$1.37 COP 4,260

-29.20%

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

$55.1K ETB 8.9M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

97.95%

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

$54.6K ETB 8.8M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

52.71%

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

$203 ETB 32.7K

$177 COP 553.2K

14.69%

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

$7.42 ETB 1,191

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-46.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$210 ETB 33.7K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

605.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$3.68 ETB 592

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-44.66%

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

$134 ETB 21.6K

$813 COP 2.5M

-83.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K ETB 4.9M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

231.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.25 ETB 5,342

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-62.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.7 ETB 11.5K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

21.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ETB 12.7K

$138 COP 431.2K

-42.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ETB 13.5K

$102 COP 318.7K

-17.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 ETB 79.9K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-70.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 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 Hawassa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Hawassa versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $305 – making Hawassa 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: $823 in Hawassa, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 104% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,234 per month in Hawassa and $2,521 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 $42.00 in Hawassa and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $823, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $823 in Hawassa to $1,681 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.