Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abuja Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abuja

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,121 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $2,034 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,947 in Abuja.

Living in Medellin is roughly 50% more expensive than in Abuja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Abuja is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.22 ₦2,940

261.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$30.30 ₦40.1K

57.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.44 ₦5,890

122.75%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.33 ₦4,407

-6.01%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.51 ₦682

274.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.71 ₦943

112.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.07 ₦1,414

191.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.09 ₦2,767

175.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$3.62 ₦4,796

-60.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.31 ₦1,734

90.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.17 ₦2,881

-18.43%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.88 ₦2,489

57.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$11.16 ₦14.8K

-9.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.39 ₦7,143

87.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$5.90 ₦7,824

142.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.07 ₦2,741

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.43 ₦1,891

12.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.51 ₦2,003

49.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.36 ₦3,131

-4.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.81 ₦2,397

12.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.49 ₦3,295

-38.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.56 ₦741

108.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.37 ₦492

254.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.02 ₦2,671

93.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$5.71 ₦7,568

145.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.19 ₦1,583

46.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.85 ₦2,452

55.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.36 ₦481

238.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$32.36 ₦42.9K

148.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.62 ₦821

111.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.88 ₦1,163

148.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.87 ₦2,483

365.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.54 ₦719

153.70%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$25.8K ₦34.2M

7.86%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$18.2K ₦24.1M

96.74%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$111 ₦146.7K

60.13%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$6.61 ₦8,758

109.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$28.79 ₦38.2K

3.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$36.48 ₦48.3K

23.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$11.07 ₦14.7K

54.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.98 ₦6,603

33.53%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$44.89 ₦59.5K

1710.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$3,151 ₦4.2M

191.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$25.50 ₦33.8K

250.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$60.6 ₦80.3K

-2.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$77.5 ₦102.7K

78.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$106 ₦140.2K

-3.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,391 ₦1.8M

-23.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$455 ₦603.4K

45.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$3,403 ₦4.5M

-44.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,533 ₦2.0M

-33.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$701 ₦928.4K

497.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$380 ₦504.1K

340.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$165 ₦218.4K

311.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

22.5

-51.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Abuja: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,391 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 311% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $30.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $219 per month, with Abuja cheaper across the board.

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 Abuja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Abuja differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $1,121 including rent). Abuja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 311% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,391 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,121 in Abuja – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Abuja runs roughly 149% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,121 in Abuja versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Abuja but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Abuja the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Abuja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.