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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $793 per month in Hawassa vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,222 per month in Hawassa vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,650 per month in Hawassa vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Hawassa is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Hawassa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Hawassa 41% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ETB 705

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-25.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.62 ETB 5,645

$33.33 COP 116.3K

6.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ETB 1,051

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-8.30%

Cappuccino

$1.25 ETB 198

$1.63 COP 5,687

-23.31%

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

$0.63 ETB 99.5

$1.09 COP 3,821

-42.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.9

$0.73 COP 2,548

-41.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 162

$1.74 COP 6,065

-41.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ETB 474

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-7.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ETB 230

$1.05 COP 3,662

38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ETB 205

$1.29 COP 4,515

0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ETB 162

$1.32 COP 4,617

-22.73%

Eggs

$1.53 ETB 243

$2.27 COP 7,927

-32.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 ETB 1,108

$4.35 COP 15.2K

60.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 ETB 2,196

$5.88 COP 20.5K

135.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 ETB 2,086

$8.61 COP 30.0K

52.85%

Apples (1kg)

$6.79 ETB 1,076

$2.25 COP 7,844

201.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 153

$1.07 COP 3,733

-9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 343

$1.52 COP 5,322

42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 155

$1.42 COP 4,964

-30.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 109

$1.17 COP 4,084

-41.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ETB 288

$1.17 COP 4,077

54.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 111

$0.89 COP 3,096

-21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 101

$0.90 COP 3,146

-28.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ETB 648

$2.25 COP 7,837

81.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 ETB 881

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-49.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 159

$1.14 COP 3,977

-12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ETB 303

$2.38 COP 8,301

-19.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ETB 227

$1.41 COP 4,912

1.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.44

$1.90 COP 6,634

-84.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ETB 309

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-74.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ETB 196

$1.01 COP 3,509

21.78%

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

$54.8K ETB 8.7M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

211.95%

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

$54.4K ETB 8.6M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

105.33%

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

$161 ETB 25.6K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

92.99%

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

$11.88 ETB 1,882

$9.45 COP 33.0K

25.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.4K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

433.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ETB 917

$4.10 COP 14.3K

40.98%

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

$80.9 ETB 12.8K

$312 COP 1.1M

-74.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.4K ETB 6.4M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

573.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.67 ETB 7,556

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-17.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.4 ETB 12.0K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

131.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 ETB 14.7K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-6.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.4K

$109 COP 378.8K

6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$500 ETB 79.3K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-59.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Hawassa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 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: $793 in Hawassa, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 28% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,190 per month in Hawassa and $1,525 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 $36.00 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 35% 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 $793, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $793 in Hawassa to $1,017 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.