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: $1,344 in Abidjan versus $1,344 in El Medano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Abidjan versus $2,590 in El Medano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,023 in Abidjan versus $3,835 in El Medano.

Monthly costs are close between Abidjan and El Medano; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Abidjan 1% above, El Medano 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 F CFA 2,019

$17.62 €15.43

-80.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 F CFA 30.3K

$56.9 €49.79

-7.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 F CFA 6,119

$10.36 €9.07

2.90%

Cappuccino

$1.90 F CFA 1,089

$2.04 €1.79

-6.86%

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

$0.80 F CFA 459

$1.84 €1.61

-56.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 493

$1.03 €0.90

-16.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 F CFA 603

$2.86 €2.51

-63.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 F CFA 996

$3.23 €2.83

-46.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 F CFA 1,380

$1.29 €1.13

86.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 F CFA 336

$1.78 €1.56

-66.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 F CFA 749

$1.52 €1.33

-14.47%

Eggs

$2.28 F CFA 1,307

$3.10 €2.72

-26.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.01 F CFA 13.2K

$15.27 €13.38

50.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.38 F CFA 4,809

$8.29 €7.26

1.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.07 F CFA 3,486

$14.73 €12.90

-58.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.87 F CFA 2,220

$2.39 €2.10

61.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 F CFA 624

$1.70 €1.49

-35.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 F CFA 1,262

$1.59 €1.39

38.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 F CFA 1,128

$2.54 €2.23

-22.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 F CFA 965

$1.55 €1.36

8.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 996

$1.69 €1.48

2.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 F CFA 498

$1.49 €1.30

-41.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 491

$0.65 €0.57

32.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.80 F CFA 1,031

$5.12 €4.48

-64.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.14 F CFA 3,527

$7.97 €6.98

-22.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 F CFA 578

$1.52 €1.33

-33.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 F CFA 817

$1.37 €1.20

3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 F CFA 571

$1.65 €1.45

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.00 F CFA 27.6K

$17.58 €15.40

173.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 F CFA 984

$4.70 €4.11

-63.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 F CFA 914

$1.33 €1.16

19.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.42 F CFA 15.2K

$17.11 €14.98

54.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 F CFA 887

$1.29 €1.13

20.16%

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

$32.4K F CFA 18.6M

$27.7K €24.2K

17.00%

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

$30.3K F CFA 17.4M

$29.7K €26.0K

2.03%

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

$187 F CFA 107.1K

$88.7 €77.7

110.28%

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

$35.90 F CFA 20.6K

$21.20 €18.57

69.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.13 F CFA 26.5K

$30.51 €26.72

51.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.0 F CFA 44.8K

$46.32 €40.56

68.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.25 F CFA 12.8K

$15.07 €13.20

47.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.64 F CFA 4,963

$10.10 €8.85

-14.46%

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

$291 F CFA 167.0K

$343 €301

-15.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,340 F CFA 1.9M

$8,411 €7,366

-60.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 F CFA 51.9K

$82.8 €72.5

9.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 F CFA 32.7K

$33.26 €29.13

71.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 F CFA 48.3K

$86.3 €75.6

-2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 F CFA 79.3K

$70.0 €61.3

97.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 F CFA 352.6K

$1,056 €925

-41.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 F CFA 221.3K

$484 €424

-20.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 F CFA 1.1M

$1,832 €1,605

0.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 F CFA 545.7K

$1,847 €1,618

-48.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,294 F CFA 1.3M

$3,692 €3,234

-37.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$692 F CFA 397.1K

$2,505 €2,194

-72.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 F CFA 126.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.75

3.5

321.43%

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

Last update for Abidjan: July 12, 2026

Last update for El Medano: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $614 in Abidjan and $1,056 in El Medano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Abidjan vs $57.0 in El Medano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $270 per month, with Abidjan cheaper across the board.

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

You'd need roughly $2,016 in Abidjan and $2,017 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: $614 in Abidjan versus $1,056 in El Medano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Abidjan runs roughly 173% less than in El Medano. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in El Medano. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,344 in Abidjan versus $1,344 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.

It comes down to priorities – Abidjan wins on affordability, El Medano on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.