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: $891 in Bamako versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,471 in Bamako versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,051 in Bamako versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Bamako costs roughly 12% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bamako 34% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.82 F CFA 3,879

$5.95 COP 21.4K

14.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.70 F CFA 21.4K

$33.33 COP 119.6K

13.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 F CFA 3,561

$7.23 COP 26.0K

-13.42%

Cappuccino

$1.90 F CFA 1,081

$1.63 COP 5,848

16.56%

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

$0.75 F CFA 424

$1.09 COP 3,929

-31.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 F CFA 337

$0.73 COP 2,621

-19.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 F CFA 1,367

$1.74 COP 6,237

38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$21.40 F CFA 12.2K

$3.23 COP 11.6K

562.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

$1.05 COP 3,766

118.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 F CFA 2,212

$1.29 COP 4,643

201.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,748

Eggs

$6.72 F CFA 3,819

$2.27 COP 8,152

196.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.94 F CFA 10.2K

$4.35 COP 15.6K

312.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.88 F CFA 9,027

$5.88 COP 21.1K

170.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.33 F CFA 7,007

$8.61 COP 30.9K

43.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 F CFA 2,258

$2.25 COP 8,066

76.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 582

$1.07 COP 3,839

-4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 F CFA 1,643

$1.52 COP 5,473

90.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 F CFA 1,220

$1.42 COP 5,105

51.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 764

$1.17 COP 4,199

14.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 F CFA 775

$1.17 COP 4,193

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.10 F CFA 58.4

$0.89 COP 3,183

-88.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 F CFA 1,573

$0.90 COP 3,235

207.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.94 F CFA 536

$2.25 COP 8,059

-58.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 F CFA 860

$1.14 COP 4,089

32.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 F CFA 916

$2.38 COP 8,537

-32.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.63 F CFA 2,630

$0.84 COP 2,998

451.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 150.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,051

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 F CFA 720

$1.90 COP 6,823

-33.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 F CFA 659

$1.01 COP 3,608

14.85%

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

$17.6K COP 63.1M

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

$26.5K COP 95.1M

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

$151 F CFA 85.9K

$83.7 COP 300.3K

80.46%

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

$9.45 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 F CFA 32.5K

$24.11 COP 86.5K

136.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 F CFA 38.7K

$25.31 COP 90.8K

168.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.15 F CFA 2,360

$19.14 COP 68.7K

-78.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.70 F CFA 3,242

$4.10 COP 14.7K

39.02%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 208.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 357.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 389.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$173 F CFA 98.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

-64.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.6 F CFA 46.4K

$379 COP 1.4M

-78.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 F CFA 226.2K

$837 COP 3.0M

-52.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 F CFA 167.2K

$723 COP 2.6M

-59.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,252 F CFA 711.6K

$1,223 COP 4.4M

2.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 F CFA 147.8K

$541 COP 1.9M

-51.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Bamako: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $173 in Bamako and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 108% 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: $38.00 in Bamako vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $190 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

Bamako vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bamako wins on cost – living expenses run 14% 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, Medellin earns 108% 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: $173 in Bamako versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $891 per month in Bamako versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 89% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $891 in Bamako versus $1,017 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 $891 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 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.