Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangui and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Bangui: $424 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Bangui

🇨🇫 Central African Republic

$424

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bangui and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bangui and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $424 per month in Bangui vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

Bangui $424
Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $674 per month in Bangui vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

Bangui $674
Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $924 per month in Bangui vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

Bangui $924
Medellin $3,186

Bangui is about 74% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bangui sits 69% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,729

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

$1.80 COP 5,806

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 FCFA 973

$1.41 COP 4,558

17.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 FCFA 1,947

$3.18 COP 10.2K

4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 FCFA 2,931

$5.75 COP 18.6K

-12.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$5.01 FCFA 2,934

$1.51 COP 4,873

231.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.21 FCFA 2,466

$2.38 COP 7,673

76.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 FCFA 2,557

$1.77 COP 5,716

146.89%

Eggs

$5.10 FCFA 2,987

$2.89 COP 9,327

76.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 FCFA 5,133

$10.19 COP 32.9K

-13.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 FCFA 5,073

$9.87 COP 31.9K

-12.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.37 FCFA 1,975

$13.99 COP 45.1K

-75.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,009

Oranges (1kg)

$7.00 FCFA 4,098

$2.18 COP 7,044

221.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 FCFA 3,017

$2.18 COP 7,047

136.24%

Potato (1kg)

$4.16 FCFA 2,435

$1.96 COP 6,333

112.24%

Onion (1kg)

$5.83 FCFA 3,411

$1.59 COP 5,129

266.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 FCFA 1,543

$1.15 COP 3,696

129.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 FCFA 1,541

$1.24 COP 4,012

112.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 FCFA 2,443

$3.96 COP 12.8K

5.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 FCFA 6,793

$13.68 COP 44.2K

-15.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.85 FCFA 3,425

$1.66 COP 5,356

252.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 FCFA 2,543

$2.26 COP 7,286

92.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,769

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,092

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,608

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.62 FCFA 1,533

$1.35 COP 4,346

94.07%

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

$34.1K COP 109.9M

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

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

$170 COP 547.5K

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

$13.55 COP 43.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

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

$797 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 315.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 FCFA 792.4K

$1,208 COP 3.9M

12.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 FCFA 959.7K

$1,910 COP 6.2M

-14.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

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 Bangui: October 24, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bangui

–

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Groceries & Markets

Bangui

–

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bangui

–

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Eating Out

Bangui

–

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Bangui

–

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Getting Around

Bangui

–

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Bangui

–

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,353 in Bangui versus $1,208 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇨🇫 Bangui

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

05:30 5:30 AM

23:30 11:30 PM

6 h behind Bangui

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

734,350 Capital

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to XAF – Central African CFA Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 Central African CFA Franc (Fr)

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 586 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,227 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,617 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

USD to XAF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bangui Medellin 10,420 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Bangui
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Bangui vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 286%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $636 per month in Bangui and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $1,353 in Bangui.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $424 in Bangui and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Bangui about 74% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bangui, where all-in costs run around $424, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Bangui 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 $424 in Bangui to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.