Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jimma and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Jimma: $1,057 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Jimma

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,057

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jimma and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jimma and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,057 per month in Jimma vs $1,589 in Medellin, rent included.

Jimma $1,057
Medellin $1,589

A couple spends around $1,424 per month in Jimma vs $2,364 in Medellin, rent included.

Jimma $1,424
Medellin $2,364

A family of three spends $1,792 per month in Jimma vs $3,139 in Medellin, rent included.

Jimma $1,792
Medellin $3,139

Jimma is about 34% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Jimma sits 21% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 ETB 747

$8.01 COP 25.5K

-41.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 148.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.1K

Cappuccino

$1.17 ETB 188

$2.91 COP 9,277

-59.79%

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

$0.59 ETB 95.2

$1.75 COP 5,585

-66.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ETB 70.0

$1.32 COP 4,218

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 ETB 452

$3.13 COP 9,969

-10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ETB 230

$5.55 COP 17.7K

-74.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ETB 185

$1.41 COP 4,495

-18.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.36 ETB 58.1

$2.44 COP 7,777

-85.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ETB 180

$1.63 COP 5,191

-31.29%

Eggs

$4.02 ETB 646

$2.82 COP 8,990

42.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 30.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 ETB 1,847

$9.32 COP 29.7K

23.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 ETB 1,835

$13.46 COP 42.9K

-15.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ETB 370

$4.00 COP 12.8K

-42.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ETB 180

$1.48 COP 4,719

-24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 ETB 555

$2.12 COP 6,768

62.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ETB 93.8

$2.25 COP 7,178

-74.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ETB 87.7

$1.91 COP 6,092

-71.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 ETB 538

$1.62 COP 5,160

106.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,658

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ETB 93.7

$1.26 COP 4,021

-53.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$6.63 ETB 1,065

$13.11 COP 41.8K

-49.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ETB 187

$1.60 COP 5,083

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ETB 234

$2.26 COP 7,188

-35.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ETB 35.27

$1.17 COP 3,731

-81.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.38 ETB 2,150

$75.0 COP 239.0K

-82.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,056

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,531

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 ETB 276

$8.20 COP 26.1K

-79.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 ETB 279

$1.27 COP 4,046

37.01%

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

$51.2K ETB 8.2M

$26.8K COP 85.3M

91.38%

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

$58.0K ETB 9.3M

$34.4K COP 109.6M

68.46%

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

$63.4 ETB 10.2K

$162 COP 516.9K

-60.89%

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

$36.28 ETB 5,829

$13.12 COP 41.8K

176.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$313 ETB 50.3K

$28.09 COP 89.5K

1015.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.06 ETB 5,474

$44.33 COP 141.2K

-23.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.4K

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

$764 COP 2.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 270.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$92.7 ETB 14.9K

$57.5 COP 183.2K

61.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 ETB 22.3K

$132 COP 419.8K

5.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ETB 18.5K

$95.8 COP 305.1K

20.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 ETB 33.4K

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-79.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 ETB 25.7K

$604 COP 1.9M

-73.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ETB 66.7K

$1,802 COP 5.7M

-76.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ETB 49.9K

$993 COP 3.2M

-68.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,229 ETB 358.2K

$3,921 COP 12.5M

-43.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,117 ETB 179.4K

$1,639 COP 5.2M

-31.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$227 ETB 36.5K

$626 COP 2.0M

-63.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-17.73%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jimma: October 3, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Jimma

–

Medellin

$604 38.3%

Groceries & Markets

Jimma

–

Medellin

$288 18.3%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jimma

–

Medellin

$203 12.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Jimma

–

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Eating Out

Jimma

–

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Getting Around

Jimma

–

Medellin

$91 5.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Jimma

–

Medellin

$57 3.6%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $208 in Jimma versus $1,028 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 176% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Jimma

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

11:30 11:30 AM

03:30 3:30 AM

8 h behind Jimma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

207,573

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇹 Ethiopian Birr (Br)

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,574 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

USD to ETB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Jimma Medellin 12,360 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Jimma
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Jimma vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 50%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,585 per month in Jimma and $2,384 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jimma, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Public transport costs about 461% less in Jimma. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jimma, where all-in costs run around $1,057, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Jimma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jimma – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Jimma. 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.