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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $817 in Assela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,242 in Assela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,667 in Assela.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Assela 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.59 ETB 727

34.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$35.32 ETB 5,599

-7.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.54 ETB 1,036

12.23%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.30 ETB 205

32.31%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.69 ETB 110

52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.47 ETB 74.2

63.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.01 ETB 160

67.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.08 ETB 488

2.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.38 ETB 219

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.32 ETB 210

-1.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.12 ETB 336

-33.96%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.49 ETB 395

-13.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.98 ETB 1,106

-37.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$13.67 ETB 2,166

-56.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.17 ETB 2,087

-34.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$6.72 ETB 1,064

-66.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.02 ETB 161

8.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.27 ETB 360

-32.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.99 ETB 157

36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.68 ETB 108

66.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.92 ETB 304

-41.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.69 ETB 109

23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.68 ETB 108

33.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.95 ETB 626

-40.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.66 ETB 897

118.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.99 ETB 157

21.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.83 ETB 291

36.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.42 ETB 225

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.29 ETB 46.54

562.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.05 ETB 325

273.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.30 ETB 206

-23.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$54.0K ETB 8.6M

-66.61%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$53.8K ETB 8.5M

-50.52%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$157 ETB 24.9K

-48.54%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$12.04 ETB 1,909

-17.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$129 ETB 20.5K

-81.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.76 ETB 914

-30.90%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$80.2 ETB 12.7K

280.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$39.8K ETB 6.3M

-84.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$46.74 ETB 7,409

24.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$73.9 ETB 11.7K

-56.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$94.5 ETB 15.0K

6.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$113 ETB 17.8K

-4.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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 12, 2026

Last update for Assela: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $35.00 in Assela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $265 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 $1,546 in Medellin and $1,225 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 $305 in Medellin versus $80.2 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 $35.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $817 in Assela versus $1,031 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.