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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $603 in Abalessa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $976 in Abalessa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,349 in Abalessa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 69% more than Abalessa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Abalessa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Abalessa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.15 DZD 418

88.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$24.02 DZD 3,184

38.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.93 DZD 521

83.97%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$0.72 DZD 95.6

126.39%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.61 DZD 81.1

78.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.21 DZD 27.83

247.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.99 DZD 263

-12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.40 DZD 318

34.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.00 DZD 132

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.15 DZD 19.83

760.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.57 DZD 208

-15.92%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.87 DZD 248

21.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.20 DZD 1,220

-52.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.32 DZD 706

10.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$16.59 DZD 2,199

-48.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.23 DZD 428

-30.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.82 DZD 373

-62.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.72 DZD 227

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.80 DZD 106

77.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.55 DZD 72.7

112.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.49 DZD 65.5

138.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.62 DZD 81.8

43.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.30 DZD 40.09

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.77 DZD 367

-18.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.13 DZD 945

54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.34 DZD 178

-14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.17 DZD 288

9.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.23 DZD 30.29

265.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$17.66 DZD 2,340

137.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.71 DZD 93.9

98.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.34 DZD 44.90

458.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.19 DZD 687

49.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.34 DZD 45.04

197.06%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$32.1K DZD 4.3M

-45.18%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$33.4K DZD 4.4M

-20.76%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$40.75 DZD 5,401

105.35%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.56 DZD 1,267

-1.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$17.12 DZD 2,269

40.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$23.47 DZD 3,111

7.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.44 DZD 721

-24.63%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$94.9 DZD 12.6K

228.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,616 DZD 479.2K

65.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$37.47 DZD 4,966

54.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$44.80 DZD 5,937

-27.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$75.2 DZD 9,962

32.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$78.2 DZD 10.4K

38.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$194 DZD 25.7K

148.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$116 DZD 15.3K

228.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$277 DZD 36.7K

202.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$183 DZD 24.3K

294.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,113 DZD 147.5K

155.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,094 DZD 145.0K

11.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Abalessa: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 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 $24.00 in Abalessa. Groceries tell a different story – $190 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 69% 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $904 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 9% 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 $24.00 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 $603, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $603 versus $1,017 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.