Cost of Living Comparison Between Buea and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Buea and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $544 in Buea versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $804 in Buea versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,064 in Buea versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Buea costs roughly 47% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Buea 60% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 FCFA 1,003

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-70.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.33 FCFA 3,576

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-12.45%

Cappuccino

$2.21 FCFA 1,245

$1.63 COP 5,687

35.58%

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

$1.26 FCFA 709

$1.09 COP 3,821

15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 FCFA 301

$0.73 COP 2,548

-27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 FCFA 583

$1.74 COP 6,065

-40.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 FCFA 785

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-56.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 FCFA 1,736

$1.05 COP 3,662

192.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 FCFA 233

$1.29 COP 4,515

-68.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 FCFA 926

$1.32 COP 4,617

24.24%

Eggs

$2.58 FCFA 1,455

$2.27 COP 7,927

13.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 FCFA 2,458

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-49.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 FCFA 1,952

$2.25 COP 7,844

53.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 FCFA 807

$1.07 COP 3,733

33.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 FCFA 484

$1.52 COP 5,322

-43.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 FCFA 789

$1.42 COP 4,964

-1.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 FCFA 982

$1.17 COP 4,084

48.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 FCFA 782

$1.17 COP 4,077

18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 FCFA 420

$0.90 COP 3,146

-17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$8.66 FCFA 4,888

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-21.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 FCFA 680

$1.14 COP 3,977

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 FCFA 976

$2.38 COP 8,301

-27.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.25 FCFA 140

$1.41 COP 4,912

-82.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 FCFA 277

$1.90 COP 6,634

-74.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 FCFA 2,918

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-33.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 FCFA 673

$1.01 COP 3,509

17.82%

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

$19.6K FCFA 11.1M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

11.39%

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

$20.9K FCFA 11.8M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-21.30%

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

$62.1 FCFA 35.0K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-25.85%

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

$17.80 FCFA 10.1K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

88.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$112 FCFA 63.0K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

362.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.37 FCFA 14.9K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

4.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.50 FCFA 2,542

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-76.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$608 FCFA 343.4K

$312 COP 1.1M

94.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.07 FCFA 19.8K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-39.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 FCFA 40.6K

$109 COP 378.8K

-33.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$69.2 FCFA 39.1K

$482 COP 1.7M

-85.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.6 FCFA 34.8K

$379 COP 1.3M

-83.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 FCFA 120.3K

$723 COP 2.5M

-70.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$133 FCFA 75.2K

$541 COP 1.9M

-75.39%

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 Buea: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $69.2 in Buea and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 306% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Buea vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buea and Medellin differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($544 vs $1,017 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 306% 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: $69.2 in Buea versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $608 in Buea versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $544 per month in Buea versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $544 in Buea versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buea but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Buea the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Buea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.