Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abyek Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abyek

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $525 in Abyek, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $828 in Abyek, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,131 in Abyek, rent included.

Medellin costs about 227% more than Abyek, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Abyek is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$3.54 $3.54

126.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$16.18 $16.18

198.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$2.74 $2.74

256.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 $0.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$1.18 $1.18

146.61%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.41 $0.41

373.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.98 $0.98

55.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$0.48 $0.48

183.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.54 $0.54

342.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$2.48 $2.48

-31.45%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$1.00 $1.00

187.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$4.08 $4.08

143.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$2.74 $2.74

293.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$8.77 $8.77

67.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.33 $1.33

207.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.42 $1.42

10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$0.99 $0.99

115.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$0.71 $0.71

211.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.52 $0.52

294.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.48 $0.48

212.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.55 $0.55

116.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.29 $0.29

300.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.57 $0.57

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.43 $2.43

60.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.18 $0.18

550.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$6.48 $6.48

1099.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$0.51 $0.51

150.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.31 $0.31

574.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$2.97 $2.97

190.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.10 $0.10

1200.00%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$50.3K $50.3K

-45.01%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$43.4K $43.4K

-18.10%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$13.10 $13.10

1244.05%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$1.54 $1.54

768.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$3.80 $3.80

686.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$19.46 $19.46

130.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$12.07 $12.07

41.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$1.94 $1.94

219.59%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$111 $111

613.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$2,623 $2,623

243.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$26.05 $26.05

228.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$38.05 $38.05

53.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$110 $110

24.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$78.0 $78.0

32.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$255 $255

314.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$222 $222

206.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$578 $578

248.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$358 $358

226.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,142 $1,142

260.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$583 $583

191.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

23.42

-53.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Abyek: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $255 in Abyek. 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 Abyek. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $107 – making Abyek 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 Abyek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,716 in Medellin, $525 in Abyek – roughly 227% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $788 in Abyek. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abyek, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $111 in Abyek. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 183% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Abyek, where all-in costs run around $525, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Abyek it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $525 in Abyek to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Abyek. 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.