Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abadan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abadan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $526 in Abadan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $833 in Abadan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,141 in Abadan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 96% more expensive than Abadan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Abadan 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.88 $3.88

52.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$17.15 $17.15

90.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.48 $4.48

60.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.14 $1.14

49.12%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.42 $0.42

161.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.95 $0.95

-24.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.04 $1.04

1.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.52 $0.52

140.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.94 $1.94

-28.35%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.19 $1.19

89.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$3.40 $3.40

27.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.21 $3.21

81.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.79 $9.79

-9.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.86 $0.86

160.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.34 $1.34

-19.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.82 $0.82

86.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.58 $0.58

136.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.49 $0.49

130.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.49 $0.49

128.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.59 $0.59

44.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.23 $0.23

295.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 $0.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.24 $2.24

4.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.21 $0.21

276.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$10.12 $10.12

306.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.34 $0.34

323.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.29 $0.29

558.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$1.98 $1.98

305.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.76 $0.76

23.68%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$73.7K $73.7K

-75.68%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$53.8K $53.8K

-50.23%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$15.78 $15.78

432.07%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$2.03 $2.03

372.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$5.62 $5.62

329.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$15.69 $15.69

64.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$12.71 $12.71

49.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$1.48 $1.48

164.86%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$117 $117

160.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,982 $1,982

198.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$22.24 $22.24

160.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$25.26 $25.26

25.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$108 $108

-7.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$69.4 $69.4

54.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$284 $284

71.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$201 $201

82.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$636 $636

29.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$322 $322

122.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$716 $716

308.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,044 $1,044

34.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$438 $438

24.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.24

-39.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Abadan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $284 in Abadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 24% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $17.00 in Abadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $110 per month, with Abadan 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

Medellin vs Abadan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abadan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 24% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $284 in Abadan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Abadan – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $526 in Abadan – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $526 in Abadan versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Abadan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Abadan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Abadan 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.

Expats usually find Abadan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.