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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,117 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,772 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,427 in Adama, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Adama, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Adama are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Adama 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$2.91 ETB 460

106.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$34.37 ETB 5,431

-4.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$5.13 ETB 811

44.64%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$1.23 ETB 194

34.15%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.64 ETB 101

67.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.31 ETB 49.35

145.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$1.03 ETB 163

66.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.01 ETB 476

6.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.39 ETB 219

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.34 ETB 211

-2.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$2.20 ETB 348

-39.09%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.50 ETB 395

-12.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$7.36 ETB 1,163

-40.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$13.74 ETB 2,171

-58.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$13.25 ETB 2,094

-35.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$6.63 ETB 1,047

-64.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.02 ETB 162

8.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$2.17 ETB 343

-29.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$0.91 ETB 144

50.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$0.69 ETB 109

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.89 ETB 299

-37.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$0.66 ETB 104

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.63 ETB 99.4

36.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$3.91 ETB 618

-42.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$5.50 ETB 869

110.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.00 ETB 158

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$1.83 ETB 289

35.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$1.48 ETB 234

-0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.27 ETB 42.38

611.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$2.01 ETB 318

286.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.25 ETB 197

-19.20%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$56.1K ETB 8.9M

-68.52%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$53.8K ETB 8.5M

-50.79%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$162 ETB 25.6K

-49.85%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$12.11 ETB 1,913

-22.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$129 ETB 20.4K

-81.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$5.62 ETB 887

-27.22%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$81.2 ETB 12.8K

287.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$40.7K ETB 6.4M

-85.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$47.23 ETB 7,463

26.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$76.4 ETB 12.1K

-58.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$94.0 ETB 14.8K

7.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$112 ETB 17.8K

-6.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$504 ETB 79.6K

-3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$295 ETB 46.7K

23.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,005 ETB 158.8K

-17.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$804 ETB 127.1K

-9.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$101 ETB 16.0K

444.42%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Adama: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $504 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 444% 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 $34.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $265 – 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: $1,028 in Medellin, $1,117 in Adama – roughly 9% apart. Adama costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,675 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 $34.00 in Adama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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 $1,028, than in Adama at $1,117. 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 $1,028 in Medellin to $1,117 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.