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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $455 in Abnub, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $723 in Abnub, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $991 in Abnub, rent included.

Medellin costs about 277% more than Abnub, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Abnub is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.03 COP 25.1K
$3.40 E£173
136.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.26 COP 150.8K
$16.07 E£817
200.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.77 COP 30.5K
$5.15 E£262
89.71%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,095
$1.37 E£69.6
112.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 COP 6,074
$0.28 E£14.38
592.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 COP 4,754
$0.14 E£6.97
985.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 COP 9,663
$1.54 E£78.1
100.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74 COP 17.9K
$2.69 E£137
113.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 COP 4,262
$0.81 E£41.46
67.90%
White Bread (500g)
$2.39 COP 7,460
$0.66 E£33.83
262.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,314
$0.62 E£31.64
174.19%
Eggs
$2.87 COP 8,967
$1.09 E£55.3
163.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.94 COP 31.1K
$3.39 E£173
193.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.78 COP 33.7K
$4.70 E£239
129.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.73 COP 46.0K
$9.00 E£458
63.67%
Apples (1kg)
$4.09 COP 12.8K
$1.54 E£78.5
165.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 COP 4,911
$0.77 E£39.00
103.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 COP 6,642
$0.52 E£26.51
309.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.21 COP 6,917
$0.34 E£17.22
550.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 COP 6,396
$0.32 E£16.12
540.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,700
$0.33 E£16.68
354.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 COP 3,718
$0.24 E£12.15
395.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 COP 3,619
$0.20 E£9.99
480.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 COP 12.2K
$1.75 E£89.0
122.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.44 COP 45.1K
$7.51 E£382
92.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 4,948
$1.10 E£56.0
43.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 COP 8,836
$2.27 E£115
24.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,650
$0.20 E£10.41
485.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.7 COP 242.9K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,014
$0.35 E£17.99
265.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 COP 6,537
$0.24 E£12.36
770.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.62 COP 26.9K
$1.61 E£81.7
435.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,056
$0.42 E£21.48
209.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K COP 86.4M
$37.1K E£1.9M
-25.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K COP 110.9M
$29.9K E£1.5M
18.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 COP 550.1K
$19.46 E£990
804.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 41.8K
$7.83 E£398
70.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.89 COP 93.4K
$15.12 E£769
97.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.76 COP 139.8K
$16.23 E£826
175.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.06 COP 53.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.20 COP 19.4K
$3.00 E£153
106.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 COP 2.5M
$95.9 E£4,881
726.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,019 COP 28.2M
$2,086 E£106.1K
332.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6 COP 267.5K
$16.02 E£815
434.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.5 COP 182.7K
$49.39 E£2,513
18.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$136 COP 425.9K
$129 E£6,544
5.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 COP 322.2K
$45.98 E£2,340
124.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,060 COP 3.3M
$159 E£8,078
567.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$680 COP 2.1M
$85.3 E£4,341
696.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,012 COP 6.3M
$263 E£13.4K
664.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 COP 3.7M
$153 E£7,793
662.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,111 COP 12.8M
$700 E£35.6K
487.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,701 COP 5.3M
$438 E£22.3K
288.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Abnub
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$665 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
16.21
-32.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Abnub: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $159 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Abnub. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $128 – 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 277%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $682 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 $48.00 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 136% 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 $455, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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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