Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hawassa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hawassa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $823 in Hawassa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,230 in Hawassa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,637 in Hawassa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Hawassa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Hawassa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Hawassa 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.46 ETB 713

32.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$34.65 ETB 5,534

-4.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.53 ETB 1,044

13.78%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.28 ETB 205

28.91%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.64 ETB 103

71.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.44 ETB 69.8

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.02 ETB 163

68.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.06 ETB 488

3.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.39 ETB 223

-20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.33 ETB 213

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.99 ETB 158

39.39%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.58 ETB 253

37.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.01 ETB 1,119

-35.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$13.95 ETB 2,227

-58.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$13.27 ETB 2,118

-32.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$6.81 ETB 1,088

-65.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.03 ETB 165

2.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.28 ETB 364

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.00 ETB 159

36.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.63 ETB 100

79.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.91 ETB 306

-38.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.70 ETB 112

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.63 ETB 101

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.88 ETB 620

-42.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$5.46 ETB 871

121.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.00 ETB 159

19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.92 ETB 307

29.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.50 ETB 240

-5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.27 ETB 42.71

622.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.97 ETB 314

300.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.30 ETB 208

-23.85%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

-67.58%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$54.5K ETB 8.7M

-50.84%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$156 ETB 25.0K

-46.94%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$11.85 ETB 1,892

-18.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$130 ETB 20.7K

-81.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.61 ETB 895

-29.59%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$82.5 ETB 13.2K

282.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$40.7K ETB 6.5M

-85.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$47.78 ETB 7,630

25.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$76.7 ETB 12.2K

-58.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$93.3 ETB 14.9K

8.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$113 ETB 18.0K

-4.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$501 ETB 80.0K

187.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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 27, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Hawassa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $258 – making Medellin 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 Hawassa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,003 in Medellin, $823 in Hawassa – roughly 22% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,234 in Hawassa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $35.00 in Hawassa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $823, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Hawassa 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 $823 in Hawassa to $1,003 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Hawassa. 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.