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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $766 per month in Accra vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,317 per month in Accra vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Accra vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Accra is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Accra and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Accra 43% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 GHS 50.7

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-28.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.88 GHS 554

$32.86 COP 116.9K

42.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 GHS 92.5

$7.09 COP 25.2K

10.30%

Cappuccino

$3.45 GHS 40.81

$1.71 COP 6,093

101.75%

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

$0.94 GHS 11.14

$1.10 COP 3,910

-14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 GHS 4.06

$0.78 COP 2,771

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 GHS 18.66

$1.68 COP 5,976

-5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 GHS 29.80

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-17.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.37 GHS 39.89

$1.09 COP 3,892

209.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 GHS 16.93

$1.26 COP 4,492

13.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 GHS 28.71

$1.38 COP 4,905

76.09%

Eggs

$2.29 GHS 27.08

$2.19 COP 7,799

4.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 GHS 134

$4.40 COP 15.7K

158.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 GHS 54.6

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-17.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.03 GHS 71.3

$8.89 COP 31.6K

-32.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 GHS 34.33

$2.34 COP 8,319

23.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 GHS 17.00

$1.06 COP 3,764

35.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 GHS 19.42

$1.50 COP 5,355

9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 GHS 36.37

$1.38 COP 4,906

123.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 GHS 36.96

$1.15 COP 4,097

172.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 GHS 28.64

$1.16 COP 4,141

108.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 GHS 9.65

$0.89 COP 3,170

-7.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 GHS 6.10

$0.84 COP 2,986

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.58 GHS 18.62

$2.28 COP 8,116

-30.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.07 GHS 83.6

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-33.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 GHS 13.24

$1.20 COP 4,268

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 GHS 22.81

$2.47 COP 8,793

-21.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 GHS 12.29

$0.86 COP 3,045

20.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.78 GHS 411

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-15.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 GHS 18.42

$1.47 COP 5,245

6.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 GHS 13.92

$1.96 COP 6,984

-39.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 GHS 63.9

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-30.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 GHS 12.64

$0.95 COP 3,397

12.63%

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

$8,145 GHS 96.3K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

-55.08%

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

$9,815 GHS 116.0K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-62.94%

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

$56.4 GHS 667

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-31.40%

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

$13.00 GHS 154

$9.50 COP 33.8K

36.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.61 GHS 444

$24.23 COP 86.2K

55.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.58 GHS 421

$25.89 COP 92.1K

37.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.03 GHS 190

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-15.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 GHS 114

$3.93 COP 14.0K

144.27%

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

$72.0 GHS 851

$309 COP 1.1M

-76.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,954 GHS 94.0K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

33.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.88 GHS 176

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-74.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.54 GHS 219

$32.35 COP 115.1K

-42.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.78 GHS 340

$103 COP 365.1K

-71.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.81 GHS 482

$108 COP 385.8K

-62.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 GHS 6,255

$476 COP 1.7M

11.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 GHS 1,776

$379 COP 1.3M

-60.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 GHS 12.3K

$838 COP 3.0M

23.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 GHS 4,316

$724 COP 2.6M

-49.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 GHS 33.6K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

1.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,501 GHS 17.7K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

23.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 GHS 2,038

$512 COP 1.8M

-66.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

13.43

89.13%

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

Last update for Accra: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $529 in Accra versus $476 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 197% 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 $47.00 in Accra versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $766 in Accra, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 32% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,150 per month in Accra and $1,519 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Accra and $33.00 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 $766, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $766 in Accra to $1,013 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.