Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $963 in Cotonou versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Cotonou versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Cotonou versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 5% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotonou 28% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 F CFA 2,029

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-39.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.52 F CFA 15.0K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-20.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 F CFA 3,000

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-26.56%

Cappuccino

$5.58 F CFA 3,150

$1.63 COP 5,687

242.33%

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

$0.92 F CFA 522

$1.09 COP 3,821

-15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 F CFA 436

$0.73 COP 2,548

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 F CFA 811

$1.74 COP 6,065

-17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 F CFA 1,975

$3.23 COP 11.3K

8.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 F CFA 1,469

$1.05 COP 3,662

147.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 F CFA 805

$1.29 COP 4,515

10.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,084

$1.32 COP 4,617

45.45%

Eggs

$2.27 F CFA 1,282

$2.27 COP 7,927

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 F CFA 5,249

$4.35 COP 15.2K

113.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 F CFA 2,864

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 F CFA 2,875

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-40.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 F CFA 2,271

$2.25 COP 7,844

78.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 810

$1.07 COP 3,733

33.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 F CFA 711

$1.52 COP 5,322

-17.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 998

$1.42 COP 4,964

24.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 763

$1.17 COP 4,084

15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 808

$1.17 COP 4,077

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 F CFA 294

$0.89 COP 3,096

-41.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 724

$0.90 COP 3,146

42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 F CFA 1,309

$2.25 COP 7,837

3.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.34 F CFA 2,454

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-60.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 F CFA 669

$1.14 COP 3,977

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 F CFA 1,248

$2.38 COP 8,301

-7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 F CFA 971

$0.84 COP 2,916

104.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 F CFA 811

$1.41 COP 4,912

2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 F CFA 734

$1.90 COP 6,634

-31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 F CFA 978

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-77.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 F CFA 624

$1.01 COP 3,509

8.91%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$24.8K F CFA 14.0M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-6.30%

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

$261 F CFA 147.7K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

212.49%

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

$44.50 F CFA 25.1K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

370.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 F CFA 32.4K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

137.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 F CFA 34.2K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

139.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.37 F CFA 3,035

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-71.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 F CFA 4,162

$4.10 COP 14.3K

79.76%

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

$189 F CFA 106.9K

$312 COP 1.1M

-39.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,558 F CFA 3.7M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

9.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.48 F CFA 9,870

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-69.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,912

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-73.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,106

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-90.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.05 F CFA 27.1K

$109 COP 378.8K

-55.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 F CFA 113.5K

$482 COP 1.7M

-58.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 F CFA 83.0K

$379 COP 1.3M

-61.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 F CFA 334.5K

$837 COP 2.9M

-29.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 F CFA 161.4K

$723 COP 2.5M

-60.47%

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)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-62.77%

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

Last update for Cotonou: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Cotonou and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Cotonou vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $190, with Medellin 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

Cotonou vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,445 in Cotonou and $1,525 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $201 in Cotonou versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $963 per month in Cotonou versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $963 in Cotonou versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.