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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $793 in Hawassa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,222 in Hawassa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,650 in Hawassa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 28% more than Hawassa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Hawassa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Hawassa 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.45 ETB 705

33.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$35.62 ETB 5,645

-6.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.63 ETB 1,051

9.05%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.25 ETB 198

30.40%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.63 ETB 99.5

73.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.43 ETB 68.9

69.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.02 ETB 162

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.99 ETB 474

8.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.45 ETB 230

-27.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.30 ETB 205

-0.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.02 ETB 162

29.41%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.53 ETB 243

48.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.99 ETB 1,108

-37.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$13.85 ETB 2,196

-57.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.16 ETB 2,086

-34.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$6.79 ETB 1,076

-66.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.97 ETB 153

10.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.16 ETB 343

-29.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.98 ETB 155

44.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.69 ETB 109

69.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.81 ETB 288

-35.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.70 ETB 111

27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.64 ETB 101

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.09 ETB 648

-44.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.56 ETB 881

98.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.00 ETB 159

14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.91 ETB 303

24.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.43 ETB 227

-1.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.29 ETB 46.44

555.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.95 ETB 309

297.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.23 ETB 196

-17.89%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$54.8K ETB 8.7M

-67.94%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$54.4K ETB 8.6M

-51.30%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$161 ETB 25.6K

-48.18%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.88 ETB 1,882

-20.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$129 ETB 20.4K

-81.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.78 ETB 917

-29.07%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$80.9 ETB 12.8K

285.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$40.4K ETB 6.4M

-85.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$47.67 ETB 7,556

21.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$75.4 ETB 12.0K

-56.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$92.9 ETB 14.7K

7.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$116 ETB 18.4K

-6.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$500 ETB 79.3K

144.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Hawassa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $257 – 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: $1,017 in Medellin, $793 in Hawassa – roughly 28% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,190 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 $36.00 in Hawassa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 35% 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 $793, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $793 in Hawassa to $1,017 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.