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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $543 in Abadan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $834 in Abadan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,126 in Abadan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 85% more expensive than in Abadan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Abadan 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.91 $3.91

51.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$17.12 $17.12

92.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.39 $4.39

69.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.63 $0.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.10 $1.10

50.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.46 $0.46

139.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.94 $0.94

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.05 $1.05

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.56 $0.56

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.86 $1.86

-25.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.19 $1.19

83.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$3.37 $3.37

33.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.16 $3.16

83.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.85 $9.85

-8.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.86 $0.86

169.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.42 $1.42

-25.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.81 $0.81

87.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.59 $0.59

130.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.49 $0.49

130.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.48 $0.48

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.59 $0.59

52.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.25 $0.25

260.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.21 $2.21

0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.17 $0.17

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$9.94 $9.94

318.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.36 $0.36

294.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.29 $0.29

572.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.95 $1.95

304.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.78 $0.78

26.92%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$71.4K $71.4K

-75.33%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$55.8K $55.8K

-51.93%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$15.63 $15.63

431.09%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$2.12 $2.12

357.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$5.91 $5.91

297.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$15.71 $15.71

60.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$12.56 $12.56

52.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$1.46 $1.46

170.55%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$115 $115

175.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,981 $1,981

201.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$22.92 $22.92

161.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$24.74 $24.74

28.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$112 $112

-8.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$70.9 $70.9

51.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$281 $281

68.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$201 $201

85.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$644 $644

31.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$326 $326

121.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$694 $694

370.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,028 $1,028

40.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$444 $444

40.69%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Abadan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $281 in Abadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 41% 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 $193 vs $111 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 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Medellin, 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: $475 in Medellin versus $281 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 $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $543 in Abadan – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $543 in Abadan versus $1,003 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 85% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.