Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aden Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aden

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,401 in Aden, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,398 in Aden, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,394 in Aden, rent included.

Medellin is about 28% cheaper than Aden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Aden is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$13.40 YER 3,193

-55.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$35.07 YER 8,358

-6.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.09 YER 2,405

-29.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 YER 1,025

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 YER 884

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$4.96 YER 1,183

-65.52%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$2.03 YER 485

-45.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.80 YER 191

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$4.13 YER 984

-73.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.96 YER 467

-35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$7.38 YER 1,759

-81.30%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$5.82 YER 1,387

-62.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.25 YER 2,680

-60.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$16.84 YER 4,013

-66.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$39.24 YER 9,352

-77.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$9.50 YER 2,263

-75.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.58 YER 616

-58.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$7.85 YER 1,871

-80.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.54 YER 845

-61.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$3.43 YER 818

-66.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$3.23 YER 770

-64.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.65 YER 156

36.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.47 YER 351

-42.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 YER 159

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 YER 450

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.89 YER 1,165

-53.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.11 YER 266

-22.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$40.49 YER 9,649

2.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.61 YER 622

-43.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.96 YER 466

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.47 YER 1,303

41.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$3.74 YER 891

-74.60%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$16.8K YER 4.0M

8.21%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$61.6K YER 14.7M

-57.02%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$77.8 YER 18.5K

5.69%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.90 YER 2,360

-4.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$55.3 YER 13.2K

-56.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$62.3 YER 14.8K

-58.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$27.09 YER 6,456

-29.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.63 YER 1,341

-30.20%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$145 YER 34.7K

112.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,917 YER 456.7K

211.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$98.0 YER 23.4K

-40.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$102 YER 24.2K

-68.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$157 YER 37.4K

-34.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$185 YER 44.1K

-41.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$241 YER 57.4K

97.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$178 YER 42.5K

112.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$545 YER 129.8K

53.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$517 YER 123.3K

39.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,258 YER 299.7K

121.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$840 YER 200.1K

44.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$456 YER 108.6K

12.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.67

6.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aden: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $241 in Aden. 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 12% 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 Aden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $499 – 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 Aden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aden costs about 38% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,102 in Aden. 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 Aden. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,401 in Aden. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Aden at $1,401. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $1,401 in Aden. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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