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: $915 in Bamako versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Bamako versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,087 in Bamako versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Bamako costs roughly 10% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bamako 32% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 F CFA 3,756

$5.93 COP 19.1K

9.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.86 F CFA 21.8K

$33.12 COP 106.6K

14.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 F CFA 3,676

$7.12 COP 22.9K

-10.39%

Cappuccino

$1.86 F CFA 1,071

$1.71 COP 5,487

8.77%

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

$0.74 F CFA 429

$1.05 COP 3,374

-29.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 F CFA 326

$0.72 COP 2,324

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 F CFA 1,398

$1.72 COP 5,531

41.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$20.98 F CFA 12.1K

$3.17 COP 10.2K

561.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 F CFA 1,310

$1.06 COP 3,426

114.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 F CFA 2,259

$1.31 COP 4,215

199.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

Eggs

$6.79 F CFA 3,914

$2.28 COP 7,338

197.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.61 F CFA 10.1K

$4.42 COP 14.2K

298.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.62 F CFA 9,006

$5.92 COP 19.0K

163.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 F CFA 7,164

$8.64 COP 27.8K

43.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 F CFA 2,275

$2.34 COP 7,545

68.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 589

$1.10 COP 3,546

-7.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 F CFA 1,640

$1.47 COP 4,724

93.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 F CFA 1,246

$1.38 COP 4,439

56.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 777

$1.17 COP 3,774

15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 788

$1.17 COP 3,765

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.11 F CFA 65.7

$0.90 COP 2,905

-87.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 F CFA 1,571

$0.84 COP 2,708

223.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.97 F CFA 557

$2.33 COP 7,490

-58.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 F CFA 890

$1.15 COP 3,693

33.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 F CFA 958

$2.42 COP 7,791

-31.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 F CFA 2,746

$0.84 COP 2,702

466.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 F CFA 703

$1.91 COP 6,160

-36.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 F CFA 662

$0.94 COP 3,037

22.34%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

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

$150 F CFA 86.2K

$83.3 COP 267.9K

79.67%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 F CFA 33.2K

$24.22 COP 77.9K

137.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 F CFA 39.2K

$25.22 COP 81.2K

169.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.99 F CFA 2,298

$19.33 COP 62.2K

-79.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 F CFA 3,308

$4.07 COP 13.1K

41.03%

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

$307 COP 986.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$175 F CFA 100.7K

$476 COP 1.5M

-63.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.4 F CFA 45.8K

$379 COP 1.2M

-79.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 F CFA 233.3K

$816 COP 2.6M

-50.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 F CFA 170.2K

$707 COP 2.3M

-58.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,244 F CFA 717.2K

$1,446 COP 4.7M

-14.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$264 F CFA 152.5K

$622 COP 2.0M

-57.47%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $175 in Bamako and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 135% 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 $356 vs $192 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 11% 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 135% 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: $175 in Bamako versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Bamako versus $1,018 in Medellin – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 85% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $915 in Bamako versus $1,018 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 $915 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 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.