Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aswan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aswan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $442 in Aswan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $732 in Aswan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,022 in Aswan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 289% more than Aswan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Aswan is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.03 COP 25.1K
$4.02 E£204
99.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.26 COP 150.8K
$15.42 E£784
212.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.77 COP 30.5K
$4.79 E£244
103.97%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,095
$1.30 E£66.1
123.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 COP 6,074
$0.32 E£16.50
506.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 COP 4,754
$0.14 E£7.12
985.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 COP 9,663
$1.24 E£63.2
149.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74 COP 17.9K
$3.31 E£168
73.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 COP 4,262
$0.82 E£41.76
65.85%
White Bread (500g)
$2.39 COP 7,460
$0.55 E£28.06
334.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,314
$0.64 E£32.81
165.63%
Eggs
$2.87 COP 8,967
$1.45 E£73.6
97.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.94 COP 31.1K
$3.24 E£165
206.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.78 COP 33.7K
$4.17 E£212
158.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.73 COP 46.0K
$9.32 E£474
58.05%
Apples (1kg)
$4.09 COP 12.8K
$1.62 E£82.3
152.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 COP 4,911
$0.70 E£35.53
124.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 COP 6,642
$0.50 E£25.65
326.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.21 COP 6,917
$0.37 E£18.85
497.30%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 COP 6,396
$0.39 E£19.94
425.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,700
$0.35 E£17.56
328.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 COP 3,718
$0.27 E£13.83
340.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 COP 3,619
$0.18 E£9.21
544.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 COP 12.2K
$1.91 E£97.3
104.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.44 COP 45.1K
$6.99 E£356
106.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 4,948
$1.11 E£56.7
42.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 COP 8,836
$2.17 E£110
30.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,650
$0.18 E£9.23
550.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.7 COP 242.9K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,014
$0.38 E£19.39
236.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 COP 6,537
$0.24 E£12.32
770.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.62 COP 26.9K
$1.69 E£85.8
410.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,056
$0.42 E£21.31
209.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K COP 86.4M
$34.7K E£1.8M
-20.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K COP 110.9M
$29.9K E£1.5M
18.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 COP 550.1K
$19.82 E£1,009
788.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 41.8K
$7.49 E£381
78.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.89 COP 93.4K
$13.51 E£687
121.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.76 COP 139.8K
$18.49 E£941
142.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.06 COP 53.3K
$4.90 E£250
248.16%
Cinema Ticket
$6.20 COP 19.4K
$2.91 E£148
113.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 COP 2.5M
$89.2 E£4,536
789.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,019 COP 28.2M
$1,733 E£88.2K
420.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6 COP 267.5K
$18.47 E£940
363.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.5 COP 182.7K
$41.68 E£2,121
40.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$136 COP 425.9K
$107 E£5,460
27.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 COP 322.2K
$50.5 E£2,568
104.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,060 COP 3.3M
$127 E£6,442
736.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$680 COP 2.1M
$89.5 E£4,553
659.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,012 COP 6.3M
$244 E£12.4K
723.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 COP 3.7M
$170 E£8,667
585.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,111 COP 12.8M
$894 E£45.5K
359.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,701 COP 5.3M
$507 E£25.8K
235.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$665 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
16.21
-32.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Aswan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $127 in Aswan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Aswan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $126 – making Aswan 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 Aswan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aswan cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 289%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $662 in Aswan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Aswan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Aswan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $15.00 in Aswan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Aswan?
Groceries cost about 141% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Aswan?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aswan, where all-in costs run around $442, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Aswan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Aswan more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Aswan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Aswan. 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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