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: $771 in Buea versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Buea versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,058 in Buea versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Buea costs roughly 54% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buea is 44% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 FCFA 1,016

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-77.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 FCFA 71.1K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

159.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 FCFA 3,527

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-37.61%

Cappuccino

$2.20 FCFA 1,257

$3.13 COP 9,767

-29.71%

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

$1.34 FCFA 766

$1.91 COP 5,954

-29.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 FCFA 299

$1.51 COP 4,712

-65.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 FCFA 617

$3.12 COP 9,747

-65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 FCFA 917

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-72.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.89 FCFA 1,652

$1.44 COP 4,509

100.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 FCFA 236

$2.49 COP 7,759

-83.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 FCFA 947

$1.77 COP 5,535

-6.21%

Eggs

$2.01 FCFA 1,150

$2.96 COP 9,235

-32.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.31 FCFA 13.3K

$10.07 COP 31.4K

131.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 FCFA 4,506

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-22.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.45 FCFA 2,544

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-68.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 FCFA 2,022

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-14.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 FCFA 827

$1.61 COP 5,019

-9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 FCFA 519

$2.25 COP 7,007

-59.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 FCFA 775

$2.25 COP 7,028

-39.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 FCFA 1,027

$2.04 COP 6,375

-11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 FCFA 782

$1.54 COP 4,790

-11.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 FCFA 428

$1.17 COP 3,651

-35.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 FCFA 387

$1.31 COP 4,077

-48.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 FCFA 1,492

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-33.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 FCFA 4,957

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-38.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 FCFA 723

$1.74 COP 5,439

-27.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 FCFA 1,016

$2.87 COP 8,956

-37.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.25 FCFA 143

$1.31 COP 4,084

-80.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 FCFA 309

$2.19 COP 6,825

-75.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 FCFA 3,046

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-38.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 FCFA 686

$1.37 COP 4,260

-12.41%

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

$19.5K FCFA 11.2M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-29.82%

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

$15.8K FCFA 9.0M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-55.90%

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

$62.7 FCFA 35.8K

$177 COP 553.2K

-64.62%

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

$17.55 FCFA 10.0K

$13.88 COP 43.3K

26.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$175 FCFA 99.8K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

487.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.49 FCFA 15.1K

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-40.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.37 FCFA 2,498

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-74.47%

Cinema Ticket

$8.58 FCFA 4,905

$6.65 COP 20.7K

29.02%

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

$530 FCFA 302.9K

$813 COP 2.5M

-34.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,440 FCFA 2.0M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-62.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.15 FCFA 20.1K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-60.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.9 FCFA 39.9K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

18.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 FCFA 81.8K

$138 COP 431.2K

3.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 FCFA 40.6K

$102 COP 318.7K

-30.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 FCFA 74.0K

$678 COP 2.1M

-80.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.04

10.94

74.04%

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

Last update for Buea: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 423% 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: $124 in Buea vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $254 vs $305, with Buea cheaper for home cooking.

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 118% in total monthly costs ($771 vs $1,681 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 423% 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.

Childcare runs $530 in Buea versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Buea – a meal for two runs $124 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $771 in Buea versus $1,681 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 118% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.