Cost of Living Comparison Between Bamako and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bamako and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in Bamako versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Bamako versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,003 in Bamako versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Bamako costs roughly 45% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bamako is 34% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 F CFA 4,680

$8.04 COP 25.0K

3.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.70 F CFA 20.1K

$48.29 COP 149.9K

-26.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 F CFA 4,485

$9.42 COP 29.3K

-15.50%

Cappuccino

$1.70 F CFA 958

$2.94 COP 9,120

-42.18%

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

$0.91 F CFA 514

$1.86 COP 5,786

-51.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 F CFA 399

$1.46 COP 4,519

-51.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 F CFA 1,329

$3.21 COP 9,969

-26.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$21.06 F CFA 11.9K

$5.71 COP 17.7K

268.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 F CFA 1,085

$1.44 COP 4,467

34.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 F CFA 2,181

$2.40 COP 7,454

61.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,274

Eggs

$5.89 F CFA 3,319

$2.89 COP 8,975

103.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.51 F CFA 9,867

$10.06 COP 31.2K

74.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.49 F CFA 8,729

$9.97 COP 31.0K

55.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 F CFA 7,161

$14.20 COP 44.1K

-10.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 F CFA 2,316

$3.98 COP 12.4K

3.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 F CFA 607

$1.58 COP 4,921

-31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 F CFA 1,578

$2.15 COP 6,682

30.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 F CFA 1,152

$2.30 COP 7,141

-11.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 682

$2.00 COP 6,223

-39.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 F CFA 662

$1.51 COP 4,687

-22.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.10 F CFA 57.5

$1.20 COP 3,734

-91.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 F CFA 1,509

$1.28 COP 3,981

109.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 F CFA 844

$1.71 COP 5,302

-12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 F CFA 940

$2.74 COP 8,515

-39.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,868

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,052

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 F CFA 709

$2.17 COP 6,739

-41.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 F CFA 638

$1.36 COP 4,209

-16.91%

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

$27.5K COP 85.3M

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

$36.5K COP 113.4M

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

$151 F CFA 85.3K

$169 COP 523.8K

-10.29%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 F CFA 37.0K

$28.32 COP 87.9K

132.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.5 F CFA 39.8K

$45.71 COP 141.9K

54.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 271.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 431.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 F CFA 100.1K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-83.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.7 F CFA 44.9K

$653 COP 2.0M

-87.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 F CFA 281.7K

$1,925 COP 6.0M

-74.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 F CFA 171.4K

$1,048 COP 3.3M

-70.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,227 F CFA 691.7K

$1,697 COP 5.3M

-27.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$259 F CFA 145.8K

$655 COP 2.0M

-60.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Bamako: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $178 in Bamako and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 153% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Bamako vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $347 vs $300, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bamako vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bamako wins on cost – living expenses run 80% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bamako the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 153% 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: $178 in Bamako versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $910 per month in Bamako versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $910 in Bamako versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bamako but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bamako the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bamako delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $910 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bamako hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Bamako gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.