Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Massawa

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
Massawa
🇪🇷 Eritrea
-
/mo nomad
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Massawa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.01 COP 25.5K
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55 COP 148.3K
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.43 COP 30.1K
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,277
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 COP 5,585
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 COP 4,218
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.13 COP 9,969
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 COP 17.7K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Massawa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 COP 4,495
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 COP 7,777
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 COP 5,191
-
-
Eggs
$2.82 COP 8,990
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.69 COP 30.9K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.32 COP 29.7K
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.46 COP 42.9K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 COP 12.8K
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 COP 4,719
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 COP 6,768
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,178
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 COP 6,092
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 COP 5,160
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,658
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 COP 4,021
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82 COP 12.2K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.11 COP 41.8K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 COP 5,083
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,188
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Massawa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,731
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.0 COP 239.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,056
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,531
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.20 COP 26.1K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 COP 4,046
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K COP 85.3M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K COP 109.6M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Massawa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 COP 516.9K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 COP 41.8K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.09 COP 89.5K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Massawa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.33 COP 141.2K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 COP 52.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.09 COP 19.4K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Massawa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$764 COP 2.4M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,904 COP 28.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Massawa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.0 COP 270.8K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 COP 183.2K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 COP 419.8K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.8 COP 305.1K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Massawa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$604 COP 1.9M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,802 COP 5.7M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$993 COP 3.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,921 COP 12.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,639 COP 5.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Massawa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$626 COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Massawa: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$604
Massawa
–
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$288
Massawa
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$203
Massawa
–
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$166
Massawa
–
Eating Out
Medellin
$166
Massawa
–
Getting Around
Medellin
$91
Massawa
–
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Massawa
–
Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇪🇷 Massawa
🕒 Local time
05:29 5:29 AM
13:29 1:29 PM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
45,975
💱 Currency
Eritrean Nakfa ERN ናቕፋ
Exchange rates and currency converter

ERN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,571 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Eritrean Nakfa exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 15.02 ERN (100 ERN = 6.66 USD). 1 EUR = 16.83 ERN (100 ERN = 5.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Massawa 12,470 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Massawa

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 Massawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is better for families?
For families, Massawa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Should I move to Medellin or to Massawa?
It comes down to priorities – Massawa wins on affordability, Medellin on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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