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: $1,325 in Abidjan versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,172 in Abidjan versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,020 in Abidjan versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Abidjan is roughly 31% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abidjan 1% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 F CFA 1,947

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-42.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 F CFA 30.3K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

63.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 F CFA 6,012

$7.09 COP 25.3K

50.35%

Cappuccino

$1.81 F CFA 1,020

$1.71 COP 6,115

5.85%

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

$0.86 F CFA 485

$1.10 COP 3,924

-21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 F CFA 467

$0.78 COP 2,781

6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 F CFA 580

$1.68 COP 5,997

-38.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 F CFA 1,008

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-41.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 F CFA 1,322

$1.09 COP 3,906

114.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 F CFA 350

$1.26 COP 4,508

-50.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 F CFA 728

$1.38 COP 4,922

-6.52%

Eggs

$2.29 F CFA 1,290

$2.19 COP 7,827

4.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.28 F CFA 13.1K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

429.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 F CFA 4,846

$5.63 COP 20.1K

52.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 F CFA 3,519

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-29.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 F CFA 2,203

$2.34 COP 8,349

67.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 F CFA 646

$1.06 COP 3,777

8.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 F CFA 1,238

$1.50 COP 5,374

46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 F CFA 1,145

$1.38 COP 4,924

47.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 F CFA 949

$1.15 COP 4,111

46.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 F CFA 989

$1.16 COP 4,155

50.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 F CFA 502

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 F CFA 512

$0.84 COP 2,997

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 F CFA 973

$2.28 COP 8,145

-24.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.25 F CFA 3,524

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-41.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 F CFA 596

$1.20 COP 4,284

-11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 F CFA 803

$2.47 COP 8,824

-42.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 F CFA 555

$0.86 COP 3,056

13.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.40 F CFA 27.9K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

19.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 982

$1.47 COP 5,264

18.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 F CFA 873

$1.96 COP 7,009

-20.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.56 F CFA 15.0K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

243.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 F CFA 876

$0.95 COP 3,409

63.16%

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

$32.3K F CFA 18.2M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

78.07%

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

$29.8K F CFA 16.8M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

12.65%

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

$183 F CFA 103.0K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

122.14%

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

$36.19 F CFA 20.4K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

280.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.08 F CFA 25.4K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

86.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 F CFA 45.5K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

211.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.96 F CFA 12.4K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

15.58%

Cinema Ticket

$8.91 F CFA 5,024

$3.93 COP 14.0K

126.72%

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

$285 F CFA 161.0K

$309 COP 1.1M

-7.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,287 F CFA 1.9M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-44.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 F CFA 52.3K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

58.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 F CFA 32.6K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

78.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 F CFA 47.7K

$103 COP 366.4K

-17.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 F CFA 77.6K

$108 COP 387.2K

26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 F CFA 351.4K

$476 COP 1.7M

30.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 F CFA 225.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,880 F CFA 1.1M

$838 COP 3.0M

124.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 F CFA 518.8K

$724 COP 2.6M

27.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,302 F CFA 1.3M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-17.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$707 F CFA 398.8K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-41.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 F CFA 124.7K

$512 COP 1.8M

-56.79%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $623 in Abidjan and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 131% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Abidjan vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $188 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 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 131% less. 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: $623 in Abidjan versus $476 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 $54.0 in Abidjan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,325 per month in Abidjan versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,325 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 31% less than in Abidjan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.