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: $557 in Buea versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $800 in Buea versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,043 in Buea versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Buea costs roughly 44% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Buea 58% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 FCFA 1,016

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-69.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 FCFA 3,435

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-18.57%

Cappuccino

$2.20 FCFA 1,252

$1.65 COP 5,207

33.33%

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

$1.26 FCFA 714

$1.10 COP 3,468

14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 FCFA 296

$0.78 COP 2,458

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 FCFA 619

$1.72 COP 5,412

-36.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 FCFA 777

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-56.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 FCFA 1,726

$1.10 COP 3,474

176.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 FCFA 216

$1.26 COP 3,962

-69.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 FCFA 932

$1.38 COP 4,349

18.84%

Eggs

$2.62 FCFA 1,490

$2.18 COP 6,858

20.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.47 FCFA 2,539

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-50.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 FCFA 2,024

$2.32 COP 7,308

53.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 FCFA 786

$1.06 COP 3,352

31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 FCFA 491

$1.52 COP 4,774

-43.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 FCFA 813

$1.36 COP 4,270

5.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 FCFA 1,009

$1.13 COP 3,552

57.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 FCFA 780

$1.17 COP 3,689

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 FCFA 420

$0.90 COP 2,823

-17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 FCFA 4,985

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-27.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 FCFA 722

$1.19 COP 3,743

6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 FCFA 983

$2.48 COP 7,815

-30.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.25 FCFA 142

$1.42 COP 4,459

-82.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 FCFA 265

$1.95 COP 6,141

-75.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 FCFA 3,086

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-31.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 FCFA 708

$0.99 COP 3,118

26.26%

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

$19.2K FCFA 10.9M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

9.09%

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

$20.9K FCFA 11.9M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-21.89%

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

$62.4 FCFA 35.4K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-24.86%

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

$17.41 FCFA 9,886

$9.70 COP 30.5K

79.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 FCFA 62.5K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

368.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.45 FCFA 15.0K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

4.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.48 FCFA 2,546

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-76.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$623 FCFA 353.5K

$316 COP 994.2K

97.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.13 FCFA 19.9K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-41.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 FCFA 39.6K

$107 COP 338.3K

-35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$70.9 FCFA 40.3K

$475 COP 1.5M

-85.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.4 FCFA 34.8K

$374 COP 1.2M

-83.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 FCFA 121.3K

$719 COP 2.3M

-70.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 FCFA 74.0K

$624 COP 2.0M

-79.12%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $70.9 in Buea and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 379% 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 80% in total monthly costs ($557 vs $1,003 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 379% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $70.9 in Buea versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $623 in Buea versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $557 per month in Buea versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $557 in Buea versus $1,003 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 80% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.