Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bahir Dar

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $374 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$374

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Bahir Dar

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 Bahir Dar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $374 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Bahir Dar $374

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $568 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Bahir Dar $568

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $763 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Bahir Dar $763

Medellin costs about 338% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Bahir Dar is 73% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$3.43 ETB 552

135.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.6K

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,722

$1.02 ETB 164

195.10%

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

$1.80 COP 5,801

$0.41 ETB 66.7

339.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,554

$0.48 ETB 78.0

193.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.2K

$0.72 ETB 116

341.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.5K

$1.96 ETB 315

193.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,869

$0.98 ETB 157

54.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,667

$1.02 ETB 164

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,712

$1.01 ETB 163

75.25%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,320

$1.77 ETB 285

63.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.8K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.1K

$10.06 ETB 1,619

39.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

$3.04 ETB 488

30.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,005

$0.97 ETB 157

59.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,039

$2.03 ETB 327

7.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,041

$0.79 ETB 127

175.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,328

$0.62 ETB 99.6

216.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,125

$1.18 ETB 190

34.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,694

$1.02 ETB 164

12.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,009

$0.51 ETB 82.8

143.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.1K

$4.03 ETB 649

239.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,352

$0.77 ETB 125

115.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,281

$1.94 ETB 313

16.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,766

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,089

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,603

$0.48 ETB 77.3

327.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

$1.97 ETB 316

334.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,343

$1.02 ETB 164

32.35%

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

$34.1K COP 109.8M

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

$34.7K COP 111.8M

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

$170 COP 547.0K

$101 ETB 16.2K

68.29%

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

$13.55 COP 43.7K

$10.15 ETB 1,634

33.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 140.9K

$50.9 ETB 8,184

-14.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.4K

$60.5 ETB 9,728

-71.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

$6.10 ETB 981

13.28%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

$49.48 ETB 7,962

1510.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.2K

$49.10 ETB 7,900

72.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 186.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 315.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.4M

$2,039 ETB 328.1K

104.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

$1,502 ETB 241.7K

27.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$200 ETB 32.1K

229.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Bahir Dar

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Bahir Dar

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Bahir Dar

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Bahir Dar

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Bahir Dar

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Bahir Dar

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Bahir Dar

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Medellin are about 3.3 times higher, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🕒 Local time

04:14 4:14 AM

12:14 12:14 PM

8 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

350,000

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ETB, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Medellin Bahir Dar 12,340 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Bahir Dar

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 Bahir Dar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 338% more than Bahir Dar, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $561 in Bahir Dar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $374 in Bahir Dar. That makes Bahir Dar about 77% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 138% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bahir Dar, where all-in costs run around $374, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Bahir Dar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $374 in Bahir Dar to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Bahir Dar. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.