Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abaza Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abaza

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $948 in Abaza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,487 in Abaza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,025 in Abaza.

Living in Medellin is roughly 9% more expensive than in Abaza, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Abaza 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$9.37 ₽736

-34.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$38.11 ₽2,994

-14.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.88 ₽462

24.83%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.38 ₽187

-27.73%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.08 ₽84.9

-2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.52 ₽40.70

48.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.40 ₽110

20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.57 ₽202

23.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.59 ₽46.55

77.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.67 ₽52.5

94.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.41 ₽111

-0.71%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.71 ₽134

26.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.88 ₽855

-59.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.72 ₽371

24.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.93 ₽701

-3.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.81 ₽143

25.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.80 ₽141

-38.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.99 ₽157

-23.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.69 ₽211

-49.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.80 ₽63.1

41.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.66 ₽51.9

71.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.40 ₽110

-39.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.71 ₽55.7

28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.91 ₽229

-19.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.70 ₽527

84.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.01 ₽79.4

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.86 ₽146

33.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.50 ₽38.94

68.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.95 ₽153

-27.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.33 ₽25.69

481.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.54 ₽514

17.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.74 ₽57.9

33.78%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$34.2K ₽2.7M

-47.34%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$35.0K ₽2.7M

-23.89%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$109 ₽8,599

-26.17%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$6.04 ₽475

64.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$7.93 ₽623

204.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$36.00 ₽2,828

-30.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.99 ₽392

-20.24%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$322 ₽25.3K

-5.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,104 ₽558.1K

-14.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$69.7 ₽5,477

-16.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$44.35 ₽3,484

-27.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$113 ₽8,842

-10.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$107 ₽8,371

1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$441 ₽34.7K

8.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$304 ₽23.9K

23.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$777 ₽61.0K

8.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$499 ₽39.2K

46.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,349 ₽184.5K

36.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,587 ₽124.7K

-13.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,292 ₽101.5K

-52.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

15.33

-12.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Abaza: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $441 in Abaza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abaza pays 109% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $38.00 in Abaza. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $189, with Abaza cheaper for home cooking.

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 Abaza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abaza is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 109% lower in Abaza. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $441 in Abaza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $322 in Abaza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Abaza – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $948 in Abaza versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Abaza but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Abaza the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Abaza 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 Abaza gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.