Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Assela Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Assela

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $806 in Assela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,237 in Assela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,669 in Assela.

Living in Medellin is roughly 26% more expensive than Assela, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Assela 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.60 ETB 725

30.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$35.67 ETB 5,622

-7.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.32 ETB 996

12.18%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.29 ETB 203

32.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.64 ETB 101

71.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.43 ETB 68.3

81.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$0.98 ETB 154

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.93 ETB 462

4.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.44 ETB 228

-24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.32 ETB 209

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.17 ETB 343

-36.41%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.46 ETB 388

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.00 ETB 1,104

-37.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$13.87 ETB 2,185

-59.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.40 ETB 2,112

-33.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$6.84 ETB 1,078

-65.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.03 ETB 162

2.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.19 ETB 345

-31.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.97 ETB 153

42.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.63 ETB 99.6

82.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.88 ETB 296

-38.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.70 ETB 110

27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.69 ETB 108

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.03 ETB 636

-43.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$5.70 ETB 899

86.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.99 ETB 156

21.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.84 ETB 290

34.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.45 ETB 228

1.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.27 ETB 42.53

625.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.98 ETB 312

290.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.29 ETB 204

-26.36%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$55.2K ETB 8.7M

-67.13%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$54.6K ETB 8.6M

-51.46%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$159 ETB 25.0K

-48.20%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$11.83 ETB 1,864

-19.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$131 ETB 20.6K

-81.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.77 ETB 910

-31.89%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$79.9 ETB 12.6K

287.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$41.0K ETB 6.5M

-85.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$46.94 ETB 7,398

24.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$75.1 ETB 11.8K

-56.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$94.1 ETB 14.8K

9.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$115 ETB 18.1K

-5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Assela: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Assela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $268 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Assela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assela is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $1,208 in Assela to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $79.9 in Assela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Assela – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $806 in Assela versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assela but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Assela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Assela is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Assela are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Assela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.