Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abalessa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abalessa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $546 in Abalessa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $871 in Abalessa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,195 in Abalessa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 208% more than Abalessa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Abalessa is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$2.98 DZD 398

169.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$18.82 DZD 2,510

154.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$3.99 DZD 532

147.87%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$0.70 DZD 93.4

347.14%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.55 DZD 73.7

247.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.29 DZD 38.77

420.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.55 DZD 207

101.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.30 DZD 307

150.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$0.84 DZD 111

71.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.14 DZD 18.27

1678.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.00 DZD 133

77.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.46 DZD 194

102.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$8.87 DZD 1,183

13.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$3.52 DZD 470

187.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$15.44 DZD 2,059

-7.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.83 DZD 244

126.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.54 DZD 338

-36.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.21 DZD 162

85.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$0.92 DZD 123

144.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.71 DZD 94.4

187.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.52 DZD 69.4

196.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.74 DZD 99.2

58.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.26 DZD 34.64

403.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.51 DZD 335

55.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$6.91 DZD 922

102.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.10 DZD 147

58.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.90 DZD 253

51.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.19 DZD 25.50

542.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$6.42 DZD 857

1153.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.52 DZD 69.9

151.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.43 DZD 57.7

409.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$5.77 DZD 770

50.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.37 DZD 49.96

270.27%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$34.7K DZD 4.6M

-19.71%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$31.9K DZD 4.3M

12.23%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$35.98 DZD 4,799

392.77%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$9.95 DZD 1,327

39.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$11.61 DZD 1,549

155.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$20.94 DZD 2,793

114.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$4.30 DZD 573

54.65%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$104 DZD 13.9K

678.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$2,988 DZD 398.4K

207.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$30.32 DZD 4,044

195.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$37.08 DZD 4,945

59.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$65.1 DZD 8,680

112.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$77.3 DZD 10.3K

32.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$168 DZD 22.4K

532.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$102 DZD 13.7K

547.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$275 DZD 36.7K

586.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$207 DZD 27.5K

397.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,185 DZD 158.0K

253.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.3

106.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Abalessa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $168 in Abalessa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Abalessa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $176 – making Abalessa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Abalessa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 208% more than Abalessa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $820 in Abalessa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 73% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Abalessa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abalessa, where all-in costs run around $546, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Abalessa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abalessa costs $546 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Abalessa. 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.