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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,384 in Aden, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,360 in Aden, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,336 in Aden, rent included.

Medellin is about 26% cheaper than Aden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Aden is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$13.42 YER 3,176

-54.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$35.21 YER 8,334

-7.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.13 YER 2,397

-27.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 YER 1,035

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 YER 907

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$5.02 YER 1,188

-65.74%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.02 YER 477

-48.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.80 YER 189

-3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$4.30 YER 1,018

-75.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.02 YER 479

-35.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$7.14 YER 1,689

-80.39%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$5.77 YER 1,366

-62.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.17 YER 2,643

-60.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$16.69 YER 3,950

-64.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$38.73 YER 9,166

-77.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$9.39 YER 2,222

-75.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.59 YER 614

-57.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$7.58 YER 1,794

-79.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.59 YER 850

-62.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$3.45 YER 817

-67.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.32 YER 785

-65.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.66 YER 157

28.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.48 YER 349

-38.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 YER 171

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 YER 447

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$4.86 YER 1,151

-51.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$1.16 YER 275

-27.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$40.75 YER 9,646

-0.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.65 YER 628

-46.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.97 YER 466

-2.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.72 YER 1,355

33.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$3.69 YER 874

-73.17%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$16.4K YER 3.9M

10.02%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$60.4K YER 14.3M

-55.94%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$79.0 YER 18.7K

2.33%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.90 YER 2,343

0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$55.6 YER 13.2K

-56.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$63.8 YER 15.1K

-60.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$27.02 YER 6,394

-29.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.58 YER 1,321

-28.67%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$147 YER 34.7K

107.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,870 YER 442.5K

224.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$96.8 YER 22.9K

-39.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$102 YER 24.2K

-68.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$158 YER 37.4K

-36.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$187 YER 44.2K

-42.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$240 YER 56.9K

98.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$177 YER 41.9K

112.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$528 YER 124.9K

60.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$530 YER 125.5K

37.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,231 YER 291.4K

161.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$850 YER 201.1K

61.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$459 YER 108.6K

34.43%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Aden: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $240 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 34% 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: $193 vs $496 – 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 34% 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,076 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,384 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 $1,031, than in Aden at $1,384. 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 $1,031 versus $1,384 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.