Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abovyan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abovyan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $789 in Abovyan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,306 in Abovyan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,822 in Abovyan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 28% more than Abovyan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Abovyan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Abovyan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.38 ֏3,821

-42.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$51.7 ֏19.0K

-36.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.95 ֏2,926

-10.82%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.46 ֏1,275

-50.58%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.96 ֏352

14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.53 ֏194

47.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.85 ֏682

-9.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$4.03 ֏1,484

-23.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.66 ֏610

-34.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.88 ֏325

43.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.32 ֏853

-40.52%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.37 ֏872

-7.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.18 ֏3,010

-46.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.60 ֏2,797

-25.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$12.13 ֏4,463

-26.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.30 ֏480

80.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.72 ֏632

-38.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.80 ֏662

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.24 ֏823

-38.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.76 ֏281

51.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.75 ֏276

54.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.83 ֏304

7.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.68 ֏251

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.64 ֏971

-13.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$10.66 ֏3,925

-0.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.32 ֏487

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.18 ֏803

13.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.50 ֏183

72.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.60 ֏588

-8.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.31 ֏115

532.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.65 ֏1,710

66.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.37 ֏503

-30.66%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$32.0K ֏11.8M

-43.31%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$37.3K ֏13.7M

-29.03%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$131 ֏48.3K

-37.29%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.81 ֏3,244

7.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$20.59 ֏7,576

17.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.70 ֏2,467

-41.34%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$368 ֏135.5K

-15.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,757 ֏2.9M

-23.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$109 ֏40.1K

-46.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$59.3 ֏21.8K

-45.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$141 ֏51.7K

-26.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$140 ֏51.6K

-22.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$976 ֏359.3K

-47.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

15.53

-13.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Abovyan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 91% higher in Abovyan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $52.0 in Abovyan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $226 – making Medellin 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 Abovyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,184 in Abovyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $52.0 in Abovyan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abovyan, where all-in costs run around $789, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Abovyan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abovyan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Abovyan. 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.