Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Adama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Adama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,114 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,756 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,399 in Adama, rent included.

Medellin is about 7% cheaper than Adama, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Adama are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Adama 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.05 ETB 477

94.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$35.58 ETB 5,561

-7.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.04 ETB 788

42.86%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.28 ETB 201

32.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.67 ETB 105

64.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.31 ETB 48.66

132.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.01 ETB 158

65.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.96 ETB 463

4.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.46 ETB 228

-27.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.27 ETB 199

-1.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.12 ETB 332

-34.43%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.52 ETB 393

-10.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.27 ETB 1,137

-40.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$13.73 ETB 2,145

-57.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$13.38 ETB 2,091

-34.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$6.79 ETB 1,061

-67.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.02 ETB 160

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.23 ETB 349

-31.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.92 ETB 144

48.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.63 ETB 98.2

79.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.91 ETB 299

-41.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.70 ETB 110

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.63 ETB 98.5

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.92 ETB 613

-40.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.74 ETB 896

93.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.04 ETB 162

14.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.82 ETB 284

30.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.45 ETB 226

-0.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.29 ETB 45.92

558.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.03 ETB 317

295.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.30 ETB 202

-27.69%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$54.4K ETB 8.5M

-67.07%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$54.8K ETB 8.6M

-51.12%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$162 ETB 25.3K

-48.21%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$12.16 ETB 1,900

-21.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$133 ETB 20.8K

-81.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.87 ETB 917

-33.22%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$79.7 ETB 12.5K

284.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$39.9K ETB 6.2M

-85.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$48.05 ETB 7,509

20.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$74.0 ETB 11.6K

-57.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$94.1 ETB 14.7K

6.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$116 ETB 18.1K

-7.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$496 ETB 77.6K

-1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$304 ETB 47.5K

21.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$982 ETB 153.5K

-15.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$813 ETB 127.1K

-11.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$102 ETB 15.9K

436.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-21.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Adama: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $496 in Adama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 436% higher in Medellin, 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 $36.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $266 – 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 Adama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $1,114 in Adama – roughly 8% apart. Adama costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,671 in Adama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Adama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Adama, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Adama at $1,114. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Adama 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 $1,034 in Medellin to $1,114 in Adama. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Adama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.