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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $605 in Abalessa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $979 in Abalessa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,352 in Abalessa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 66% more than Abalessa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Abalessa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Abalessa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.17 DZD 419

86.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$23.39 DZD 3,093

40.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.01 DZD 531

85.29%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.77 DZD 102

114.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.60 DZD 79.4

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.23 DZD 30.44

239.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.00 DZD 265

-14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.40 DZD 317

32.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.02 DZD 135

7.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.14 DZD 18.11

800.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.63 DZD 215

-15.34%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.85 DZD 245

17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.90 DZD 1,177

-49.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.33 DZD 705

8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$16.70 DZD 2,208

-46.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.17 DZD 419

-26.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.84 DZD 375

-62.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.69 DZD 224

-10.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.79 DZD 105

72.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.56 DZD 73.6

101.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.46 DZD 60.8

154.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.60 DZD 79.9

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.30 DZD 39.99

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.70 DZD 357

-17.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.75 DZD 1,025

56.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.29 DZD 171

-7.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.06 DZD 272

20.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.25 DZD 33.18

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$17.44 DZD 2,306

138.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.70 DZD 93.1

102.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.33 DZD 44.04

490.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.17 DZD 684

52.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.34 DZD 44.47

191.18%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$31.8K DZD 4.2M

-44.67%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$33.0K DZD 4.4M

-18.91%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$41.10 DZD 5,434

101.97%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$9.58 DZD 1,267

1.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$17.10 DZD 2,260

37.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$23.35 DZD 3,087

8.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.49 DZD 726

-28.05%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$92.3 DZD 12.2K

242.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,658 DZD 483.6K

63.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$37.02 DZD 4,895

62.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$45.41 DZD 6,005

-29.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.4 DZD 10.1K

33.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$78.3 DZD 10.3K

37.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$194 DZD 25.6K

145.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$114 DZD 15.0K

229.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$274 DZD 36.3K

209.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$185 DZD 24.5K

287.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$990 DZD 130.9K

229.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,211 DZD 160.2K

18.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.42

147.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Abalessa: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $194 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Abalessa. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $207 in Abalessa – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 66% more than Abalessa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $908 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $23.00 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 $605, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $605 versus $1,003 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.