Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Adra

For one person, living is cheaper in Adra: $1,442 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. The total is higher in Medellin despite lower rent and utilities.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Adra
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,442
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Adra

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Adra actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $1,442 in Adra, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Adra $1,442

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $2,084 in Adra, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Adra $2,084

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $2,725 in Adra, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Adra $2,725

Medellin costs about 12% more than Adra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Adra sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Adra by 7%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Adra
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$14.91 €13.27
-46.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.3K
$45.41 €40.39
1.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$10.03 €8.92
-5.28%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,866
$2.32 €2.06
34.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,800
$2.22 €1.98
-17.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,360
$1.92 €1.71
-28.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,672
$3.28 €2.91
-7.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
$2.77 €2.47
98.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Adra
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,600
$1.16 €1.03
25.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,496
$1.36 €1.21
73.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,328
$0.81 €0.72
107.41%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,077
$2.68 €2.38
6.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$12.22 €10.87
-16.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$2.73 €2.43
249.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$11.24 €9.99
24.91%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$2.06 €1.84
97.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,742
$1.10 €0.97
36.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,891
$1.27 €1.13
70.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,310
$2.11 €1.88
9.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,113
$1.07 €0.95
80.37%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,196
$1.20 €1.07
36.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,571
$1.29 €1.15
-12.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,954
$0.45 €0.40
177.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$6.03 €5.37
-33.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.3K
$4.60 €4.09
190.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,384
$0.69 €0.61
146.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,525
$1.31 €1.17
80.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Adra
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,827
$1.60 €1.42
-24.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.5K
$32.99 €29.35
131.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,179
$4.09 €3.63
-67.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,774
$3.06 €2.72
-30.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.8K
$33.60 €29.89
-74.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,114
$1.71 €1.52
-23.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.7M
$19.1K €17.0K
46.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.3M
$29.2K €25.9K
21.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Adra
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 545.6K
$114 €101
51.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$9.23 €8.21
44.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$22.32 €19.86
28.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Adra
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.5K
$44.03 €39.17
2.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.0K
$15.95 €14.19
6.83%
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$8.80 €7.83
-28.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Adra
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$490 €435
57.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
$8,570 €7,623
5.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Adra
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.0K
$38.87 €34.57
122.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.1K
$33.14 €29.48
72.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 432.9K
$51.5 €45.77
165.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$68.2 €60.7
43.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Adra
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
$916 €814
15.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$687 €611
-10.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$1,365 €1,214
38.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
$1,011 €899
1.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$3,346 €2,976
21.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$2,211 €1,967
-24.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Adra
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
$2,284 €2,032
-71.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
2.9
277.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Adra: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Adra
$687 11.5% $71
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Adra
$187 36.5% $108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Adra
$145 32.2% $69
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Adra
$86 49.3% $84
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Adra
$216 28.1% $47
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Adra
$59 37% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Adra
$62 6.6% $3.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $916 in Adra. 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 250% higher in Adra, 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Adra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $187 – making Adra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇪🇸 Adra
🕒 Local time
21:39 9:39 PM
04:39 4:39 AM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
25,195
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Adra 8,040 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Adra

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Adra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Adra?
Medellin costs about 12% more than Adra, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Adra?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $2,162 in Adra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Medellin or Adra?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Adra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Medellin and in Adra?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin and $45.00 in Adra. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Adra?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $1,442 in Adra. That's a gap of about 12%.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or in Adra?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Adra, where all-in costs run around $1,442, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Adra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Adra?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Adra costs $1,442 versus $1,614 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Medellin compared to Adra?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Medellin or to Adra?
If budget matters most, go with Adra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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