Cost of Living Comparison Between Abidjan and El Medano Cost of Living Comparison Between Abidjan and El Medano

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,254 in Abidjan versus $1,485 in El Medano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,174 in Abidjan versus $2,434 in El Medano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,094 in Abidjan versus $3,383 in El Medano.

Living in Abidjan costs roughly 16% less than in El Medano, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abidjan is 9% below, El Medano is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 F CFA 1,486

$18.92 €16.28

-86.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 F CFA 40.1K

$65.3 €56.2

9.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 F CFA 6,065

$11.71 €10.07

-8.20%

Cappuccino

$1.94 F CFA 1,097

$2.05 €1.76

-5.37%

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

$0.79 F CFA 444

$2.02 €1.74

-60.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 F CFA 415

$1.29 €1.11

-43.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 F CFA 614

$2.94 €2.53

-62.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 F CFA 1,021

$3.56 €3.07

-49.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 F CFA 1,036

$1.25 €1.08

47.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 F CFA 317

$2.49 €2.15

-77.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 F CFA 711

$1.58 €1.36

-20.25%

Eggs

$2.33 F CFA 1,318

$4.25 €3.66

-45.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.12 F CFA 12.5K

$15.00 €12.91

47.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 F CFA 3,746

$9.28 €7.99

-28.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 F CFA 3,519

$18.50 €15.92

-66.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 F CFA 2,378

$2.53 €2.17

66.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 F CFA 621

$2.38 €2.05

-53.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 F CFA 1,250

$2.22 €1.91

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 F CFA 1,328

$2.71 €2.34

-13.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 F CFA 1,041

$2.25 €1.93

-18.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 1,001

$2.09 €1.80

-15.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 F CFA 484

$1.74 €1.50

-50.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 500

$0.74 €0.64

20.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 F CFA 974

$5.80 €4.99

-70.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 F CFA 3,398

$7.72 €6.64

-22.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 633

$1.70 €1.46

-34.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 F CFA 792

$1.43 €1.23

-2.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 F CFA 516

$1.70 €1.47

-46.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.61 F CFA 24.6K

$25.86 €22.25

68.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 983

$4.41 €3.79

-60.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 F CFA 1,011

$1.73 €1.49

3.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.49 F CFA 15.0K

$17.76 €15.28

49.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 F CFA 865

$1.37 €1.18

11.68%

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

$29.8K F CFA 16.8M

$27.9K €24.0K

6.96%

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

$28.6K F CFA 16.2M

$30.5K €26.2K

-6.10%

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

$189 F CFA 106.7K

$104 €89.2

82.30%

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

$27.84 F CFA 15.7K

$23.02 €19.81

20.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.98 F CFA 19.7K

$36.30 €31.24

-3.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.1 F CFA 45.7K

$45.93 €39.53

76.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.62 F CFA 12.2K

$16.09 €13.85

34.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 F CFA 5,122

$9.95 €8.56

-8.74%

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

$381 F CFA 214.8K

$429 €369

-11.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,795 F CFA 2.7M

$5,328 €4,585

-10.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.6 F CFA 53.4K

$98.1 €84.4

-3.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 F CFA 21.1K

$44.41 €38.22

-16.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 F CFA 44.1K

$93.6 €80.5

-16.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 F CFA 81.7K

$115 €99.1

25.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 F CFA 395.9K

$946 €814

-25.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 F CFA 205.9K

$495 €426

-26.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,707 F CFA 1.5M

$1,370 €1,178

97.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 F CFA 581.0K

$1,042 €896

-1.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,264 F CFA 1.3M

$3,511 €3,021

-35.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$697 F CFA 393.1K

$2,270 €1,953

-69.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 F CFA 124.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

3.56

342.42%

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

Last update for Abidjan: August 31, 2026

Last update for El Medano: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Abidjan and $946 in El Medano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Abidjan vs $65.0 in El Medano. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $311, with Abidjan cheaper for home cooking.

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

Abidjan vs El Medano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abidjan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,881 in Abidjan and $2,227 in El Medano to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $702 in Abidjan versus $946 in El Medano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Abidjan – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $65.0 in El Medano. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,254 per month in Abidjan versus $1,485 in El Medano – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,254 in Abidjan versus $1,485 in El Medano, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Abidjan but tight or insufficient in El Medano. The gap between the two cities makes Abidjan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Abidjan and El Medano are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Abidjan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in El Medano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.