Cost of Living Comparison Between Abidjan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Abidjan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,344 in Abidjan versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Abidjan versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,023 in Abidjan versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Abidjan is roughly 30% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abidjan is 1% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 F CFA 2,015

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-42.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 F CFA 30.2K

$32.60 COP 106.0K

61.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 F CFA 6,106

$7.34 COP 23.9K

45.23%

Cappuccino

$1.90 F CFA 1,086

$1.72 COP 5,592

10.47%

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

$0.80 F CFA 458

$1.05 COP 3,416

-23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 492

$0.77 COP 2,511

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 F CFA 601

$1.69 COP 5,480

-37.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 F CFA 994

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-45.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 F CFA 1,377

$1.05 COP 3,418

128.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 F CFA 335

$1.30 COP 4,230

-54.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 F CFA 747

$1.40 COP 4,538

-7.14%

Eggs

$2.28 F CFA 1,304

$2.16 COP 7,037

5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.01 F CFA 13.2K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

424.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.38 F CFA 4,799

$5.88 COP 19.1K

42.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.07 F CFA 3,479

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-29.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.87 F CFA 2,215

$2.28 COP 7,415

69.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 F CFA 623

$1.11 COP 3,599

-1.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 F CFA 1,260

$1.53 COP 4,976

43.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 F CFA 1,125

$1.35 COP 4,405

45.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 F CFA 963

$1.13 COP 3,669

48.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 994

$1.13 COP 3,687

53.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 F CFA 497

$0.85 COP 2,749

2.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 490

$0.91 COP 2,971

-5.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.80 F CFA 1,029

$2.34 COP 7,619

-23.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.14 F CFA 3,520

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-50.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 F CFA 577

$1.20 COP 3,904

-15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 F CFA 815

$2.49 COP 8,094

-42.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 F CFA 569

$0.84 COP 2,724

17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.00 F CFA 27.5K

$40.57 COP 131.9K

18.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 F CFA 982

$1.42 COP 4,617

20.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 F CFA 912

$1.92 COP 6,227

-17.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.42 F CFA 15.1K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

244.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 F CFA 885

$0.99 COP 3,219

56.57%

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

$32.4K F CFA 18.6M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

79.59%

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

$30.3K F CFA 17.3M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

13.71%

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

$187 F CFA 106.9K

$80.8 COP 262.7K

130.81%

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

$35.90 F CFA 20.6K

$9.95 COP 32.3K

260.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.13 F CFA 26.4K

$24.18 COP 78.6K

90.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.0 F CFA 44.7K

$25.08 COP 81.5K

210.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.25 F CFA 12.7K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

16.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.64 F CFA 4,953

$3.98 COP 13.0K

117.09%

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

$291 F CFA 166.7K

$305 COP 992.2K

-4.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,340 F CFA 1.9M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-44.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 F CFA 51.8K

$58.1 COP 189.0K

55.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 F CFA 32.6K

$32.20 COP 104.7K

76.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 F CFA 48.2K

$101 COP 327.5K

-16.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 F CFA 79.1K

$108 COP 350.3K

28.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 F CFA 351.8K

$477 COP 1.5M

28.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 F CFA 220.9K

$376 COP 1.2M

2.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 F CFA 1.1M

$845 COP 2.7M

118.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 F CFA 544.5K

$730 COP 2.4M

30.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,294 F CFA 1.3M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-28.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$692 F CFA 396.3K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-49.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 F CFA 126.6K

$617 COP 2.0M

-64.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.75

13.43

9.83%

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

Last update for Abidjan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $614 in Abidjan and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 179% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Abidjan vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $193 per month, with Medellin 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 179% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $614 in Abidjan versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $53.0 in Abidjan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,344 per month in Abidjan versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,344 in Abidjan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Abidjan. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Abidjan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Abidjan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.