Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazzaville and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazzaville and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,944 per month in Brazzaville vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,866 per month in Brazzaville vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,789 per month in Brazzaville vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Brazzaville costs about 91% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Brazzaville sits 45% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 FCFA 5,982

$5.95 COP 20.8K

77.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.58 FCFA 20.7K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

9.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 FCFA 2,814

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-31.12%

Cappuccino

$4.04 FCFA 2,281

$1.63 COP 5,687

147.85%

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

$1.66 FCFA 936

$1.09 COP 3,821

52.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 FCFA 938

$0.73 COP 2,548

127.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.00 FCFA 3,386

$1.74 COP 6,065

244.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 FCFA 1,393

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 FCFA 1,197

$1.05 COP 3,662

101.90%

White Bread (500g)

$4.74 FCFA 2,679

$1.29 COP 4,515

267.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 FCFA 1,701

$1.32 COP 4,617

128.03%

Eggs

$2.90 FCFA 1,636

$2.27 COP 7,927

27.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.74 FCFA 3,807

$4.35 COP 15.2K

54.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 FCFA 2,715

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-18.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.31 FCFA 4,693

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-3.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 FCFA 1,374

$2.25 COP 7,844

8.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 FCFA 905

$1.07 COP 3,733

49.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 FCFA 2,014

$1.52 COP 5,322

134.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 FCFA 1,425

$1.42 COP 4,964

77.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 FCFA 1,053

$1.17 COP 4,084

59.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 FCFA 714

$1.17 COP 4,077

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 FCFA 737

$0.89 COP 3,096

47.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 FCFA 289

$0.90 COP 3,146

-43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 FCFA 1,872

$2.25 COP 7,837

47.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 FCFA 5,822

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-6.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 FCFA 351

$1.14 COP 3,977

-45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 FCFA 1,104

$2.38 COP 8,301

-17.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 FCFA 142

$0.84 COP 2,916

-70.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.35 FCFA 13.2K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-44.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 FCFA 925

$1.41 COP 4,912

16.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 FCFA 593

$1.90 COP 6,634

-44.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 FCFA 3,777

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-13.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 FCFA 644

$1.01 COP 3,509

12.87%

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

$29.9K FCFA 16.9M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

70.24%

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

$27.6K FCFA 15.6M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

4.22%

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

$819 FCFA 462.7K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

878.98%

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

$16.58 FCFA 9,365

$9.45 COP 33.0K

75.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.13 FCFA 22.7K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

66.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.56 FCFA 23.5K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

64.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.34 FCFA 11.5K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

6.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.71 FCFA 3,227

$4.10 COP 14.3K

39.27%

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

$49.43 FCFA 27.9K

$312 COP 1.1M

-84.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,841 FCFA 5.0M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

47.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 FCFA 32.0K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-2.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 FCFA 33.7K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

83.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 FCFA 57.0K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

1.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 FCFA 31.4K

$109 COP 378.8K

-48.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 FCFA 301.2K

$482 COP 1.7M

10.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 FCFA 252.8K

$379 COP 1.3M

17.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,424 FCFA 1.4M

$837 COP 2.9M

189.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 FCFA 750.1K

$723 COP 2.5M

83.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,396 FCFA 1.9M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

19.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,916 FCFA 1.6M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

138.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$465 FCFA 262.4K

$541 COP 1.9M

-14.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

13.43

-51.30%

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

Last update for Brazzaville: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $533 in Brazzaville versus $482 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 16% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Brazzaville versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $190 – 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

Brazzaville vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brazzaville costs about 91% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,916 per month in Brazzaville and $1,525 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Brazzaville and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,944 in Brazzaville and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Brazzaville at $1,944. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brazzaville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,017 versus $1,944 in Brazzaville. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brazzaville makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.