Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abnub Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abnub

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $457 in Abnub, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $743 in Abnub, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,029 in Abnub, rent included.

Medellin costs about 125% more than Abnub, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Abnub are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Abnub 66% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.16 COP 20.1K
$3.60 E£184
71.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.60 COP 106.1K
$15.65 E£799
108.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.34 COP 23.9K
$4.53 E£231
62.03%
Cappuccino
$1.72 COP 5,599
$1.45 E£73.8
18.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 COP 3,420
$0.29 E£14.74
262.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 COP 2,515
$0.10 E£5.09
670.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.69 COP 5,487
$1.16 E£59.0
45.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 COP 10.3K
$2.93 E£150
8.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 COP 3,423
$0.90 E£45.89
16.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 COP 4,236
$0.63 E£32.05
106.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 COP 4,544
$0.67 E£33.95
108.96%
Eggs
$2.16 COP 7,046
$1.46 E£74.5
47.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.39 COP 14.3K
$3.44 E£176
27.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.88 COP 19.1K
$4.23 E£216
39.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.64 COP 28.1K
$8.67 E£443
-0.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 COP 7,425
$1.47 E£75.0
55.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 COP 3,603
$0.58 E£29.36
91.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,982
$0.40 E£20.17
282.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.35 COP 4,410
$0.39 E£20.00
246.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,674
$0.37 E£19.10
205.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,692
$0.40 E£20.48
182.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 COP 2,753
$0.24 E£12.32
254.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 COP 2,975
$0.19 E£9.73
378.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 COP 7,629
$1.93 E£98.3
21.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.37 COP 40.3K
$7.07 E£361
74.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COP 3,909
$1.34 E£68.6
-10.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 COP 8,104
$1.79 E£91.6
39.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 COP 2,727
$0.20 E£10.27
320.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.57 COP 132.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 COP 4,623
$0.42 E£21.40
238.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.92 COP 6,235
$0.31 E£15.87
519.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.66 COP 24.9K
$2.03 E£103
277.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 COP 3,223
$0.31 E£15.70
219.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0K COP 58.7M
$36.1K E£1.8M
-50.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K COP 86.7M
$33.0K E£1.7M
-19.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.8 COP 263.1K
$11.93 E£609
577.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.95 COP 32.4K
$6.32 E£323
57.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.18 COP 78.7K
$10.82 E£552
123.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.08 COP 81.6K
$22.11 E£1,129
13.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.15 COP 62.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.98 COP 13.0K
$2.92 E£149
36.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 COP 993.4K
$88.6 E£4,522
244.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,059 COP 19.7M
$1,874 E£95.7K
223.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.1 COP 189.2K
$27.60 E£1,409
110.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.20 COP 104.8K
$49.19 E£2,511
-34.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 COP 327.9K
$110 E£5,623
-8.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COP 350.8K
$51.0 E£2,604
111.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$477 COP 1.6M
$191 E£9,742
149.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$376 COP 1.2M
$97.7 E£4,987
285.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$845 COP 2.7M
$306 E£15.6K
176.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$730 COP 2.4M
$179 E£9,132
308.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,215 COP 10.5M
$890 E£45.4K
261.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,372 COP 4.5M
$469 E£23.9K
192.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$617 COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
16.67
-19.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Abnub: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $191 in Abnub. 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 $16.00 in Abnub. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $125 – making Abnub 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 Abnub: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Abnub cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 125%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $686 in Abnub. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Abnub, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Abnub?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $16.00 in Abnub. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Abnub?
Groceries cost about 54% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Abnub?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abnub, where all-in costs run around $457, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Abnub it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Abnub more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Abnub – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Abnub. 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.

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