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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $520 in Abadan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $837 in Abadan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,155 in Abadan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 223% more expensive than in Abadan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Abadan is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.17 $3.17

153.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$16.38 $16.38

192.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.68 $3.68

168.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 $0.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 $1.30

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.30 $1.30

140.77%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.47 $0.47

306.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.94 $0.94

60.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.09 $1.09

32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.47 $0.47

429.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.20 $2.20

-19.55%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.37 $1.37

116.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$3.89 $3.89

158.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.28 $3.28

208.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.85 $8.85

61.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.03 $1.03

301.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.75 $1.75

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.87 $0.87

158.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.63 $0.63

257.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.54 $0.54

277.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.46 $0.46

234.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.64 $0.64

82.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.22 $0.22

495.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 $0.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 $1.29

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.25 $2.25

73.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.19 $0.19

542.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$7.39 $7.39

989.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.47 $0.47

178.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.31 $0.31

606.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.30 $2.30

278.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.09 $0.09

1422.22%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$50.0K $50.0K

-44.34%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$43.3K $43.3K

-17.40%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$11.76 $11.76

1407.65%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$1.54 $1.54

801.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$3.89 $3.89

664.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$20.60 $20.60

117.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$13.65 $13.65

25.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$1.90 $1.90

250.00%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$101 $101

705.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,805 $1,805

408.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$21.40 $21.40

318.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$28.08 $28.08

110.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$104 $104

33.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$70.3 $70.3

45.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$289 $289

267.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$178 $178

272.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$648 $648

191.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$328 $328

212.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$704 $704

494.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,053 $1,053

59.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$440 $440

53.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

23.21

-52.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Abadan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $289 in Abadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 54% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $16.00 in Abadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $115 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 223% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 54% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $289 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 $16.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $520 in Abadan – a 223% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $520 in Abadan versus $1,681 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 223% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.