Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abadan, Iran

For one person, living is cheaper in Abadan: $534 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Abadan, Iran
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Abadan
🇮🇷 Iran
$534
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Abadan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Medellin versus $534 in Abadan.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Abadan $534

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Medellin versus $851 in Abadan.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Abadan $851

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Medellin versus $1,167 in Abadan.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Abadan $1,167

Living in Medellin is roughly 217% more expensive than in Abadan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Abadan is 60% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Abadan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$2.96 $2.96
181.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.3K
$16.06 $16.06
189.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.6K
$3.94 $3.94
140.36%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.68 $0.68
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.12 $1.12
-
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$1.10 $1.10
184.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,704
$0.49 $0.49
261.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,600
$0.98 $0.98
44.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Abadan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,949
$1.04 $1.04
47.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,399
$0.48 $0.48
377.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,281
$2.07 $2.07
-6.28%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,902
$1.18 $1.18
160.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.3K
$4.50 $4.50
122.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$3.41 $3.41
206.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.1K
$10.39 $10.39
34.36%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$1.03 $1.03
293.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,936
$1.61 $1.61
-4.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,795
$0.86 $0.86
144.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,407
$0.56 $0.56
308.93%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,812
$0.54 $0.54
290.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,519
$0.47 $0.47
263.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,779
$0.57 $0.57
105.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,102
$0.24 $0.24
558.33%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.77 $0.77
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.55 $0.55
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.38 $1.38
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$2.53 $2.53
54.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.4K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,689
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,758
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Abadan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,810
$0.14 $0.14
742.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.4K
$9.46 $9.46
706.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,835
$0.38 $0.38
376.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,876
$0.29 $0.29
634.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.3K
$2.64 $2.64
207.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,118
$0.09 $0.09
1322.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.2M
$50.0K $50.0K
-31.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.2M
$45.1K $45.1K
-24.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Abadan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 573.9K
$13.23 $13.23
1243.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.8K
$1.58 $1.58
779.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.3K
$4.02 $4.02
664.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Abadan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.4K
$18.95 $18.95
121.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.3K
$13.28 $13.28
26.51%
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$1.95 $1.95
283.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Abadan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$108 $108
629.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$2,416 $2,416
408.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Abadan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.8K
$22.77 $22.77
279.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.4K
$28.89 $28.89
105.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.7K
$96.2 $96.2
43.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 319.1K
$73.1 $73.1
35.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Abadan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$290 $290
361.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$208 $208
220.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$799 $799
147.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$363 $363
184.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
$712 $712
475.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$1,037 $1,037
87.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Abadan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
$447 $447
44.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
24.3
-54.98%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Abadan: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Abadan
$208 68.8% $459
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Abadan
$119 61.4% $189
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Abadan
$19 91.5% $204
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Abadan
$55 68.4% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Abadan
$99 42.3% $73
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Abadan
$12 87.3% $82
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Abadan
$23 59.8% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Medellin and $290 in Abadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 44% 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: $47 in Medellin vs $16 in Abadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $119 per month, with Abadan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇮🇷 Abadan
🕒 Local time
15:13 3:13 PM
23:43 11:43 PM
8 h 30 min ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
231,476
💱 Currency
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,609 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Abadan 12,790 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Abadan

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
Medellin vs Abadan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Abadan cheaper than Medellin?
Abadan is about 68% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Abadan?
Average pay runs 44% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Abadan?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,341 in Medellin versus $290 in Abadan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Abadan?
Dining out is cheaper in Abadan – a meal for two runs $16 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Abadan?
All in, you’ll spend $1,692 per month in Medellin versus $534 in Abadan – Abadan is about 68% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Abadan?
At $534 in Abadan versus $1,692 in Medellin, a $1,000 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.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Abadan?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Abadan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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