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: $555 in Buea versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $802 in Buea versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,049 in Buea versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Buea costs roughly 46% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Buea 59% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.81 FCFA 1,012

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-69.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 FCFA 3,550

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-11.94%

Cappuccino

$2.16 FCFA 1,209

$1.70 COP 6,186

27.06%

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

$1.27 FCFA 710

$1.10 COP 3,996

15.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 FCFA 273

$0.72 COP 2,625

-31.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 FCFA 580

$1.67 COP 6,067

-37.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 FCFA 799

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-53.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.03 FCFA 1,700

$1.06 COP 3,837

185.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 FCFA 215

$1.25 COP 4,531

-69.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 FCFA 919

$1.39 COP 5,060

17.99%

Eggs

$2.57 FCFA 1,442

$2.26 COP 8,229

13.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.30 FCFA 2,411

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-51.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 FCFA 2,005

$2.24 COP 8,159

59.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 FCFA 802

$1.08 COP 3,911

32.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 FCFA 476

$1.53 COP 5,563

-44.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 FCFA 775

$1.37 COP 4,987

0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 FCFA 1,012

$1.13 COP 4,109

60.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 FCFA 807

$1.12 COP 4,067

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 FCFA 418

$0.91 COP 3,305

-17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

Wine (Bottle)

$8.92 FCFA 4,996

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-19.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 FCFA 703

$1.19 COP 4,342

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 FCFA 1,008

$2.37 COP 8,617

-24.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.25 FCFA 140

$1.44 COP 5,223

-82.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 FCFA 260

$1.91 COP 6,952

-75.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 FCFA 2,954

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-34.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 FCFA 663

$0.94 COP 3,410

25.53%

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

$19.4K FCFA 10.9M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

8.11%

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

$21.1K FCFA 11.8M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-21.36%

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

$62.8 FCFA 35.2K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-25.19%

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

$17.38 FCFA 9,735

$9.60 COP 34.9K

81.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$111 FCFA 62.2K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

359.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.57 FCFA 14.9K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

2.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.29 FCFA 2,402

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-77.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

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

$626 FCFA 350.5K

$306 COP 1.1M

104.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.46 FCFA 19.9K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-38.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 FCFA 39.9K

$107 COP 389.7K

-33.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$71.7 FCFA 40.2K

$487 COP 1.8M

-85.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.0 FCFA 34.2K

$368 COP 1.3M

-83.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 FCFA 117.6K

$716 COP 2.6M

-70.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$136 FCFA 76.3K

$546 COP 2.0M

-75.02%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $71.7 in Buea and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 300% 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 86% in total monthly costs ($555 vs $1,034 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 300% 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: $71.7 in Buea versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $626 in Buea versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $555 per month in Buea versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $555 in Buea versus $1,034 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 86% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.