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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,698 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,805 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $3,911 in Abuja.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 40% less than in Abuja, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Abuja is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.05 ₦2,792

190.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$44.38 ₦60.3K

-24.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.48 ₦7,458

31.93%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.55 ₦3,470

-36.08%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.52 ₦701

109.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.41 ₦561

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.11 ₦1,505

56.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.15 ₦1,563

180.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$3.14 ₦4,272

-66.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.26 ₦1,716

2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.46 ₦3,347

-46.34%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.54 ₦2,094

47.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.17 ₦7,031

-15.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.61 ₦6,270

27.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$3.83 ₦5,207

124.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.05 ₦4,152

-26.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.76 ₦2,388

-39.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.17 ₦2,945

-29.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.77 ₦2,402

-19.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.06 ₦2,802

-43.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.52 ₦3,433

-53.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.57 ₦775

56.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.29 ₦394

210.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.45 ₦3,337

-8.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.68 ₦7,720

94.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.06 ₦1,439

7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.40 ₦1,909

70.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.64 ₦868

31.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.87 ₦1,183

62.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.02 ₦1,388

86.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.23 ₦5,747

83.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.84 ₦1,139

20.24%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$30.68 ₦41.7K

172.75%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$10.95 ₦14.9K

-13.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$40.93 ₦55.6K

-41.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$45.64 ₦62.1K

-44.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$10.57 ₦14.4K

81.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.46 ₦11.5K

-51.54%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$133 ₦180.8K

134.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,986 ₦2.7M

201.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$30.31 ₦41.2K

91.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$28.98 ₦39.4K

12.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$67.6 ₦91.9K

47.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$86.1 ₦117.1K

26.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$2,414 ₦3.3M

-80.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,175 ₦1.6M

-67.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$5,508 ₦7.5M

-84.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$2,674 ₦3.6M

-72.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$366 ₦497.0K

234.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$164 ₦222.9K

230.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.5

-40.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Abuja: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $2,414 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 230% 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 $44.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $190 per month, with Medellin 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 67% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $1,698 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 230% more on average, 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: $482 in Medellin versus $2,414 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $133 in Abuja. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $44.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,698 in Abuja, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.