Cost of Living Comparison Between Accra and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Accra and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,105 per month in Accra vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,727 per month in Accra vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,348 per month in Accra vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Accra is about 33% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Accra sits 20% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.99 GHS 91.3

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-0.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 GHS 593

$48.29 COP 148.6K

7.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 GHS 123

$9.42 COP 29.0K

13.91%

Cappuccino

$4.59 GHS 52.5

$2.94 COP 9,040

56.12%

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

$1.62 GHS 18.53

$1.86 COP 5,735

-12.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 GHS 5.17

$1.46 COP 4,479

-69.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 GHS 21.70

$3.21 COP 9,882

-40.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 GHS 26.66

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-59.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.68 GHS 42.03

$1.44 COP 4,428

155.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 GHS 19.62

$2.40 COP 7,389

-28.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 GHS 36.18

$1.70 COP 5,228

86.47%

Eggs

$2.70 GHS 30.80

$2.89 COP 8,896

-6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 GHS 140

$10.06 COP 30.9K

21.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 GHS 86.1

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-24.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 GHS 115

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-29.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 GHS 42.87

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-5.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 GHS 16.29

$1.58 COP 4,878

-9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 GHS 20.59

$2.15 COP 6,624

-16.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 GHS 41.01

$2.30 COP 7,078

56.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 GHS 31.01

$2.00 COP 6,169

36.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 GHS 31.48

$1.51 COP 4,646

82.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 GHS 8.34

$1.20 COP 3,701

-39.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 GHS 7.15

$1.28 COP 3,946

-50.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 GHS 29.77

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-32.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.32 GHS 83.5

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-47.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 GHS 14.81

$1.71 COP 5,256

-23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 GHS 27.77

$2.74 COP 8,440

-11.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 GHS 18.01

$1.25 COP 3,834

26.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.03 GHS 480

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-46.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 GHS 20.38

$1.31 COP 4,016

35.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 GHS 15.31

$2.17 COP 6,680

-38.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 GHS 51.7

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-45.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 GHS 15.76

$1.36 COP 4,172

1.47%

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

$7,902 GHS 90.2K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-71.24%

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

$10.2K GHS 116.1K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-72.17%

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

$75.8 GHS 865

$169 COP 519.2K

-55.10%

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

$19.38 GHS 221

$13.57 COP 41.8K

42.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.26 GHS 506

$28.32 COP 87.2K

56.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 GHS 833

$45.71 COP 140.7K

59.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 GHS 211

$17.22 COP 53.0K

7.38%

Cinema Ticket

$13.00 GHS 148

$6.65 COP 20.5K

95.49%

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

$468 GHS 5,344

$803 COP 2.5M

-41.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K GHS 210.6K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

100.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.45 GHS 165

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-83.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.99 GHS 217

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-68.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.24 GHS 425

$139 COP 427.5K

-73.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.6 GHS 623

$102 COP 314.0K

-46.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 GHS 7,909

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-35.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 GHS 3,180

$653 COP 2.0M

-57.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 GHS 12.6K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-42.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 GHS 5,419

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-54.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,888 GHS 33.0K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-29.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,474 GHS 16.8K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-13.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 GHS 2,068

$655 COP 2.0M

-72.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.75

10.94

144.52%

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

Last update for Accra: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Accra versus $1,071 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 262% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Accra versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Accra vs $300 in Medellin – so Accra wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Accra vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,105 in Accra, $1,641 in Medellin – roughly 48% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,658 per month in Accra and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Accra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Accra and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Accra, where all-in costs run around $1,105, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Accra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,105 in Accra to $1,641 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Accra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.