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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $461 in Aswan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $716 in Aswan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $972 in Aswan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 120% more than Aswan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Aswan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Aswan 66% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.3K
$5.05 EΒ£261
18.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 116.9K
$8.34 EΒ£432
294.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.2K
$3.77 EΒ£195
88.06%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,093
$0.93 EΒ£47.94
83.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,910
$0.27 EΒ£13.82
307.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,771
$0.09 EΒ£4.40
766.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,976
$1.21 EΒ£62.7
38.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 10.9K
$2.98 EΒ£154
3.02%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,892
$0.85 EΒ£43.80
28.24%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,492
$0.58 EΒ£30.25
117.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,905
$0.70 EΒ£36.05
97.14%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,799
$1.38 EΒ£71.7
58.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$3.43 EΒ£177
28.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.0K
$4.21 EΒ£218
33.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.6K
$8.54 EΒ£442
4.10%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,319
$1.47 EΒ£75.9
59.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,764
$0.59 EΒ£30.44
79.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,355
$0.39 EΒ£20.30
284.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,906
$0.37 EΒ£18.98
272.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,097
$0.40 EΒ£20.80
187.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,141
$0.40 EΒ£20.80
190.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,170
$0.24 EΒ£12.44
270.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,986
$0.19 EΒ£10.09
342.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,116
$1.91 EΒ£99.1
19.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 37.9K
$5.99 EΒ£310
77.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,268
$1.32 EΒ£68.2
-9.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,793
$1.85 EΒ£95.6
33.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,045
$0.16 EΒ£8.08
437.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.3K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,245
$0.41 EΒ£21.39
258.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 6,984
$0.29 EΒ£14.93
575.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.5K
$1.93 EΒ£99.7
301.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,397
$0.33 EΒ£17.24
187.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.5M
$36.1K EΒ£1.9M
-49.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.2M
$32.8K EΒ£1.7M
-19.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 292.7K
$11.93 EΒ£618
589.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.8K
$6.56 EΒ£340
44.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.2K
$10.50 EΒ£544
130.76%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.1K
$22.32 EΒ£1,155
15.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.6K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$2.88 EΒ£149
36.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
$88.7 EΒ£4,591
248.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.2M
$1,846 EΒ£95.6K
223.19%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 208.7K
$27.66 EΒ£1,432
112.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.1K
$49.00 EΒ£2,537
-33.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 365.1K
$108 EΒ£5,588
-4.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 385.8K
$51.0 EΒ£2,641
112.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$191 EΒ£9,897
149.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.3M
$99.0 EΒ£5,122
282.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$304 EΒ£15.7K
175.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$181 EΒ£9,366
300.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 9.9M
$766 EΒ£39.7K
264.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
$429 EΒ£22.2K
182.45%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Aswan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
16.67
-19.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aswan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $191 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $8.00 in Aswan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $121 – 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 120%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $692 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 Aswan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $8.00 in Aswan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Aswan?
Groceries cost about 55% 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 Medellin or Aswan?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aswan, where all-in costs run around $461, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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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