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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,078 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,761 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,443 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 25% lower, Adama 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.02 ETB 483

95.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$35.39 ETB 5,651

-6.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.97 ETB 794

49.50%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.25 ETB 199

32.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.64 ETB 102

71.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.31 ETB 50.2

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$0.98 ETB 157

75.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.94 ETB 469

8.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.38 ETB 221

-20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.33 ETB 213

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.15 ETB 343

-35.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.50 ETB 399

-12.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.94 ETB 1,109

-35.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$14.03 ETB 2,241

-58.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$13.32 ETB 2,128

-32.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$6.70 ETB 1,070

-65.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.02 ETB 163

3.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.25 ETB 359

-32.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.97 ETB 154

40.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.68 ETB 108

66.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.84 ETB 294

-36.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.64 ETB 102

40.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.64 ETB 102

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.89 ETB 622

-42.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$5.66 ETB 903

114.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.00 ETB 160

19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.82 ETB 291

36.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.50 ETB 240

-5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.29 ETB 46.69

572.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.97 ETB 315

300.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.29 ETB 206

-23.26%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$54.7K ETB 8.7M

-67.83%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$53.5K ETB 8.5M

-49.88%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$158 ETB 25.3K

-47.56%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$12.11 ETB 1,934

-19.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$132 ETB 21.1K

-82.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.64 ETB 900

-29.96%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$81.5 ETB 13.0K

287.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$40.5K ETB 6.5M

-85.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$47.27 ETB 7,549

26.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$76.1 ETB 12.2K

-58.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$92.8 ETB 14.8K

9.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$116 ETB 18.6K

-7.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$494 ETB 78.9K

-3.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$304 ETB 48.6K

22.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$988 ETB 157.7K

-14.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$794 ETB 126.8K

-9.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$101 ETB 16.2K

515.28%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Adama: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $494 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 515% 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 $35.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $1,078 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,617 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 $35.00 in Adama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $1,003, than in Adama at $1,078. 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 $1,003 in Medellin to $1,078 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.